Indonesian JELT
Vol 14, No 2 (2019): IJELT Vol 14 No 2, (October 2019)

“I’m like kentang”: Bilingual Indonesians construction of identity in the era of transnationalism

Helnywati Helnywati* (Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya, Jakarta, Indonesia)
Christine Manara (Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya, Jakarta, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
31 Oct 2019

Abstract

This study looks at bilingual Indonesians who experienced living abroad as sojourners. The study aims to explore their identity experiences and struggles as influenced by their interactions with other language(s) and culture(s). An open-ended questionnaire and interview questions were used to obtain information on the respondents’ short biodata and experiences abroad. Nineteen respondents participated in an online open-ended questionnaire, and a few respondents volunteered to be interviewed. The findings reveal that these bilinguals Indonesian sojourners find it challenging to explain themselves from the monocultural essentialists view of identity. They identify themselves strongly with both their home and host countries and cultures but remaining staying open to new possibilities of identities. Yet, there are also traces of contradicting and conflicting selves of belonging in both cultures.

Copyrights © 2019






Journal Info

Abbrev

JELT

Publisher

Subject

Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching (IJELT) (pISSN: 0216-1281) is a peer-reviewed journal in which submitted articles will go through a blind review process. IJELT is published twice a year in May and in October every ...