Willingness to Communicate, Multilingualism and Interactions in Community Contexts

Peter D MacIntyre author Alastair Henry author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Multilingual Matters

Published:10th Oct '23

£109.95

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Willingness to Communicate, Multilingualism and Interactions in Community Contexts cover

Top scholars offer a reconceptualisation of the WTC construct, a popular area of research within the field of language education

This book examines the communication behaviours of individuals in multilingual community contexts. Using a complexity lens and the presentation of a revised 3D pyramid model, the authors demonstrate the dynamic nature of willingness to communicate over time and shed new light on processes that affect communication, migration and well-being.

This book presents the findings of an in-depth qualitative longitudinal investigation into the willingness to communicate (WTC) of individuals who, through varying migration channels, left one cultural/linguistic context to make a new life in another. It examines communication behaviours and language choice in multilingual community contexts and emphasises how even the most trivial of communication events are embedded in histories of previous communication and are influenced by emotions connected with a person’s overall life situation. The book fills a gap in contemporary WTC research by examining how WTC operates in multilingual community contexts. Through the use of a complexity lens and the presentation of a revised 3D pyramid model, the authors demonstrate the dynamic nature of WTC and shed new light on processes that affect communication, migration and well-being. This book will be of interest to researchers seeking to explore individual differences using context sensitive and temporally focused designs.

This is an outstanding report of qualitative longitudinal case studies that illuminate L2/L3 WTC development in immigrant women. Momentary fluctuations in WTC are zoomed in on and then out to showcase stories embedded in macro-social contexts. The expansion of the WTC Model to multilingual 3D graphics is a stimulating addition to WTC literature. * Tomoko Yashima, Kansai University, Japan *
Using a longitudinal case study methodology, Henry and MacIntyre take us on a deep dive into their participants' stories of communication in out-of-school community settings. Our reward is a new understanding of WTC as a truly complex and probabilistic phenomenon, and a renewed appreciation of why we need Complex Dynamic Systems Theory to understand it. * Phil Benson, Macquarie University, Australia *
Based on a longitudinal study of immigrants in Sweden, Henry and MacIntyre propose a revised pyramid model of WTC which takes into account different languages learners may draw upon, as well as emphasizing the impact of situational demands and broader context. The book opens up new avenues in research on WTC and is a must-read for scholars interested in this ID variable. * Mirosław Pawlak, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland *

This book stands as a crucial and timely contribution to L2 WTC research, distinguished by its innovative theoretical frameworks and rich empirical evidence accumulated in multilingual contexts. It offers a valuable reference for both experienced and emerging researchers, as well as graduate students researching individual differences in L2 learning, especially those utilizing QL methodologies. Furthermore, the challenges faced by adult language learners in various contexts revealed in this book may inspire potential strategies to enhance WTC in the target language to support smoother acculturation and adaptation in an increasingly fluid and mobilized era.

* Zhuofeng Lin and Jian-E Peng, Shantou University, China, System 122, 2024 *

ISBN: 9781800411944

Dimensions: 234mm x 156mm x 22mm

Weight: 650g

344 pages