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    Multilinguals' perceptions of feeling different when switching languages

    Dewaele, Jean-Marc and Nakano, S. (2012) Multilinguals' perceptions of feeling different when switching languages. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 34 (2), pp. 107-120. ISSN 0143-4632.

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    Abstract

    Research into multilingualism and personality has shown that a majority of multilinguals report feeling different when they switch from one language to another. The present study looks at perceived shifts on five scales of feelings (feeling logical, serious, emotional, fake and different) in pair-wise comparisons between languages following the order of acquisition (L1/L2, L2/L3 and L3/L4). Participants were 106 adult multilinguals with a total of 31 different first languages. The results showed a systematic shift on most scales across the four languages, with participants feeling gradually less logical, less serious, less emotional and increasingly fake when using the L2, L3 and L4. Regression analyses showed that self-perceived proficiency was a significant predictor of shift on the feelings scales in the L3.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    Keyword(s) / Subject(s): feeling different, codeswitching, multilingualism, proficiency, age of onset of acquisition, personality
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication
    Depositing User: Jean-Marc Dewaele
    Date Deposited: 16 Oct 2012 09:55
    Last Modified: 09 Aug 2023 12:31
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/5099

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