Open Collections

Abstract

The earliest evidence of multilingualism dates back to Sumerian-Akkadian times in Southern Mesopotamia around 3000 BCE. However, the first written documentation of multilingualism in Europe is found in “Glosas Emilianenses,” a 9th century Latin codex with 10th century annotations. This manuscript contains the earliest known written examples of both the Basque and Spanish languages. In the 21st century, applied linguists have explored plurilingualism in relation to the concepts of identity, language, and culture. However, the holistic transformation of adult plurilingual individuals through knowledge and use of their languages has not been thoroughly examined. Transformative learning occurs when there is a shift in one’s beliefs, relationships, behaviors, and ultimately, identity. This shift tends to happen due to facing a difficult situation such as the loss of someone close, a major achievement or setback, or exposure to new cultures or languages. This shift alters how an individual perceives and understands themselves and the world around, and it allows for a more open-minded interpretation of their experiences. This new understanding is then connected with actions based on these experiences, which are subsequently incorporated into the individual’s social interactions and overall life experience. Using narrative inquiry methodology, I apply insights from transformative learning, the theory of plurilingualism, and sociocultural theories of language to explore how knowledge and the use of multiple languages change plurilingual individuals’ views of themselves, transform their relationships with others, and influence their worldviews. Through focus groups, interviews, and memoirs with nine plurilingual individuals from different parts of the world, I identify unique individual language learning and use journeys while also determining characteristic transformations related to plurilingualism: resilience, creativity, confidence, increased desire for connection, enhanced cultural awareness, heightened openness, and growth in lifelong learning. An extensive final synthesis illustrates novel findings and their benefits for both individual learning and society at large. Additionally, I explore potential connections between plurilingualism and other areas of research beyond applied linguistics and transformative learning theory, such as psychology, sociology, and educational policy. This comprehensive approach highlights the far-reaching implications of plurilingualism across various disciplines.