Dialect and multilingual identity: a Q methodological study with Hokkien-speaking university students in China

The multilingual turn in Applied Linguistics has given rise to much research on multilingual identity (MI), which concerns one’s relationship with their multilingual repertoire and self-positioning in the multilingual world. To date, most studies have focused on standard language varieties, leaving the role of dialects in MI construction largely unexamined. Framed by the ‘4Es’ model, this study explores the archetypal MI profiles of Hokkien-speaking university students in China based on Q-sort entries (n = 33) and post-sorting interviews (n = 12). Factor analysis revealed two MI positions that differed markedly in multilingual self-identification, namely the ‘Multilingual Aspirants with Hokkien Identity Struggles’ and the ‘Hokkien Advocates Hesitant in Multilingual Identification’. Interview data revealed multileveled challenges faced by the participants in claiming and sustaining their Hokkien speaker identities, which were constantly challenged by limited usage opportunities, low perceived instrumental value and struggles over ownership. Across both profiles, MI was more strongly associated with progress in prestigious linguistic varieties, particularly foreign languages, while dialect competence was seldom mobilised as a recognised multilingual capital. The findings show that MI is not determined by the size of one’s multilingual repertoire alone. Rather, evaluations, shaped by the broader sociocultural environment, are crucial in determining how different linguistic resources contribute to MI.