The discourse and identity of bilinguals and multilinguals: a sociolinguistic perspective

Abstract

 In most countries of the world, including Austria, people with diverse cultural backgrounds live and communicate in more than one language. Such individuals often identify with biculturalism or multiculturalism. The purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes of respondents originating from various countries of Europe and the USA living in Austria towards bilingualism, biculturalism, and individual identity. The central research question focuses on how the social environment influences the formation of identity among bilingual and multilingual individuals. To address this, the study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and ethnolinguistic observations to capture both statistical trends and in-depth personal narratives. These methods enabled the collection of data on language use in different social contexts, cultural practices, and perceptions of belonging. Findings indicate that multilingual speakers tend to adopt not only several languages but also multiple cultural affiliations and identities simultaneously, with their self-concept strongly shaped by everyday interactions in family, educational, and community environments.