An Investigation of University Engineering Students’ Attitudes and Motivation in Correlation to Their Identity Formation in the Learning of EFL in a Multilingual and Multicultural Context

Abstract

The study investigated engineering students’ attitudes and motivation in relation to their identity formation during the learning of EFL in a multilingual and multicultural context. It adopted a Motivational Factors Questionnaire (MFQ) based on Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational System framework. In this study, a mixed-methods approach was applied, with an ordered logistic regression technique for the quantitative part and content analysis for the qualitative part. The study revealed that engineering students’ characteristics such as gender, age, learners’ attitudes toward the L2 community, and nationality were influential factors in constructing their identity in a multilingual and multicultural context. In addition, they were found to be motivated to learn EFL for some pragmatic benefits, leading to positive attitudes toward EFL learning in such a context. They easily construct their identity because of their linguistic and cultural exposure. It is recommended that EFL be taught to all university students irrespective of their course of study, to fit perfectly into the globally diverse labor market of society.

Keywords

culture English as a foreign language (EFL)engineering higher education identity formation attitudes motivation multicultural multilingual

Introduction

Due to its perceived benefits in education, business, politics, and other disciplines, more institutions worldwide are using English as a Foreign Language (EFL) as the primary medium of teaching. English dominates scientific and technical discourse and global communication (Crystal, 1997). Unlike other languages, EFL offers global employment, international education, international trade, and communication across cultures. Thus, intrinsic or extrinsic motivation drives second language (L2) acquisition and maintenance (Ammon, 2006; Archila & Truscott de Meja, 2017; De Beaugrande et al., 1998; Hassanet al., 2019). The learner’s motivation comes from within; meanwhile, external factors can also influence decision-making (Belmerchi & Hummel, 1998; BGronlnick & Ryan, 1987; . Şentürk, 2019; Wan, 2001). Students’ attitudes toward learning can change through various methods and activities. Learners have varying degrees of positive or negative attitudes toward learning (Brown, 2007; S. Şentürk & Demír, 2019). Thus, attitudes are important in learning a new language.

English is an essential global language used in multilingual and multicultural classrooms to teach and learn (Baker, 2011; Crystal, 1997; Moratinos-Johnston et al., 2019). Students with low language phobia, high self-esteem, and a desire to talk are more motivated. It promotes language use in and out of class (Tambunan et al., 2016). EFL learners in multicultural settings need positive attitudes and a desire to improve their skills and develop their identities.

The mother tongue helps people connect to their heritage and sociocultural identities. Because language communicates culture, the two are linked. Because language proficiency means living, experiencing, and thinking in that language (Baker, 2011; Gürsoy & Kunt, 2018; Ramos, 2019). Liyanage (2004) states that social, affective, metacognitive, and cognitive aspects are interconnected with culture and language. Multiculturalism describes a society’s cultural diversity by race and ethnicity. It may be linked to diversity-promoting ideas or laws (Hannerz, 1999; McArthur, 1998; Molek-Kozakowska & Pogorzelska, 2017).

Identity Formation in Language Learning

As the students’ population becomes more bilingual and multicultural in the modern world, especially with globalization, the classrooms become more linguistically and ethnically diverse. Due to linguistic and cultural variations, communication patterns in such learning environments may differ (Sanders & Wiseman, 1990). Native language was highlighted by Turnbull (2017) as a crucial element of national identity. Identity can affect a learner’s attitudes and motivation for learning English as a foreign language, leading to either positive or negative attitudes. In language acquisition, motivation is seen as the learners’ identification repertoire as well as their self-representation (Norton, 2010). This is consistent with the claim made by Dörnyei (2009, p. 4) that “an investment in a target language is also an investment in learner’s identity.” According to Giles and Johnson (1987)’s ethnolinguistic identity theory, groups are classified into in-groups and out-groups based on their social identities in the social environment. Through constructive comparison with other groups, the group members seek to discover their “psychological distinctiveness” and develop a positive identity. Additionally, “language comes into the picture when a group regards its own language or speech variety as a dimension of comparison with outgroups” (71).

Globalization promotes linguistic homogeneity and spreads Western civilizations. However, there have always been challenges to the predominance of the English language (see Turnbull, 2017). FL policy needs to address economic pressures and maintain national identities because “for some students, learning English well contaminates, or at least threatens, their ethnocultural and national identity” (McVeigh, 2002, p. 155). According to Turnbull (2017), the goal of the “internalisation” movement in the 1980s was to change the FL policy. Because of this, internalisation “harmony embraces both Westernisation through learning the communication mode of English and the promotion of nationalistic values” (Kubota, 1998, p. 300). Such a discourse resolves the conflict between the study of English and the preservation of national identity. The study of English is used to communicate and explain the identity and culture of a people and is not primarily an endorsement of Western culture and social standards (see Turnbull, 2017). As Hassan et al. (2019, p. 85) noted, “the basic premise of the socio-educational model of second language acquisition gives paramount importance to the learners’ concept of identity and identification with the other language community.” Acculturation is driven by the learner’s desire to integrate into the target language’s culture, reinforced by favorable perceptions of the target language community (see Gardner et al., 2004; Schumann, 1989).

Learning Attitudes and Motivation in a Multilingual and Multicultural Setting

Academic literature links attitudes, motivation, and foreign language (FL) learning performance. These factors determine whether language learners stay motivated. Self-efficacy influences learners’ attitudes and motivation, especially in non-institutional settings (Oxford, 1990). Language learning motivation depends on attitudes, self-efficacy, self-concept, and beliefs. These constructions must be understood in context, including the learning environment, language, culture, and geography (Lu & Berg, 2008). According to scholars, learners’ motivation, attitudes, and beliefs are crucial to learner agency (Gao, 2010), affecting language learning. Motivation and attitudes determine how actively people learn languages. Language learners value their plans, education investments, and other life interests. Through mediation by multiple social actors, exposure to societal and conventional discourses about education and learning often facilitates this phenomenon (Gao, 2010; Oxford, 1989, 1996).

Van de Vijver et al. (2006) define multiculturalism as a multifaceted worldview with high cross-cultural comparability. Additionally, it improves the educational performance of mainstream immigrant groups. Often used as an attitude, “multiculturalism” can be defined in several ways (Tiryakian, 2003). This statement has numerous connotations, including its focus on demographics and the incorporation of diverse ethnic groups in a community. Politicians use this word to define a cultural diversification policy. According to Van de Vijver et al. (2006) and Schalk-Soekar (2007), these policies aim to increase immigrant participation in society, establish equitable rights, eliminate discrimination, and improve their social and economic status. Berry and Kalin (1995) believe that multiculturalism is a psychological construct deeply entwined with political ideology. It appears that a society accepts and endorses its inhabitants’ cultural diversity.

Multilingual and multicultural education promotes equal educational opportunities for students of varied ethnic, racial, cultural, and linguistic origins. Literature suggests multilingualism and multiculturalism as educational practices to address language and cultural variety and intercultural challenges (Banks, 2010; Noordhoff & Kleinfeld, 1993). Anti-discrimination standards improve intergroup relations and academic performance. Previous research has linked teachers’ influence on students’ attitudes toward multilingualism and diversity norms. Multicultural and multilingual education fosters students’ respect, acceptance, and awareness of variation, helping them identify with their own culture and ethnicity via socialization (Gayle-Evans, 2004). For this reason, people stress background, culture, and ethnicity when promoting cultural awareness. Scholars argue that children should learn about and accept the many ethnic and racial groups in the world, which make up a heterogeneous population with significant differences.

Additionally, multilingual practices in schools have been found to improve minority leaners’ academic performance over time (Schissel et al., 2021). According to Balasubramanian et al. (2021), India illustrates this phenomenon. Cultural context strongly affects language acquisition attitudes and motivation. Numerous studies have shown an association between attitudes and motivation to learn languages. Gardner and MacIntyre (1993) and other researchers found that motivation, integrativeness, and learning setting attitudes were examined using a number of measures. Gardner (1985) used grounded theory and the Attitude/Motivation Test Battery. This investigation identified four variables: motivation, learning environment attitude, language anxiety, and integrativeness. Despite the propensity for all measures to be associated, the studies’ measurements caused factor structures to vary (Bernaus et al., 2004).

According to Gu (2015), Yu and Zhang (2016), and Xu (2017), intra-national and cross-border students are of interest to scholars. Gu (2021) explores how mainland Chinese migrant students in Hong Kong make scale-making decisions. Turnbull (2017) explored Japanese university EFL students’ views on how EFL education may affect their cultural and national identity. Ryan (2009) found out how Japanese EFL students see English. Schissel et al. (2021) examined how multilingualism affects instructional preparation and classroom evaluation. In India, teachers and students use different languages to communicate and teach (Balasubramanian et al., 2021). However, little is known about engineering students’ attitudes and motivation toward EFL learning, particularly in correlation to their identity formation in multilingual and multicultural institutions. This study directly analyses the relationship between university engineering students’ attitudes and motivation to learn EFL in a multilingual and multilingual context and their identity construction. The present study may add to the body of information concerning attitudes and motivation in identity development among engineering students studying English as a foreign language. The growing subject of applied linguistics benefits from this contribution. English is essential in engineering education; therefore, adding it to the curriculum and scientific fields may improve engineering students’ verbal and written communication abilities. Engineering students struggle to use English, which hurts their global employability, according to Al-Tamimi and Shuib (2008).

Dörnyei’s (2005, 2009) L2 Motivational Self-System model was used to examine university engineering students’ attitudes and motivation toward identity formation in EFL learning. This theoretical framework describes people’s motivation to learn modern languages, according to Lamb (2012,p. 998). Motivation is vital to learning foreign and second languages since it affects learning achievement (Gonzales, 2011). It may also help students form their identities. This study examines university engineering students’ attitudes and motivations when studying English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in a diverse environment. Nationality is one of many factors that shape a person’s identity. Dörnyei’s (2005, 2009) L2 Motivational Self-System model emphasizes nationality’s influence on EFL attitudes and motivation. Thus, this viewpoint poses identity formation questions.

What are the factors that influence university engineering students’ attitudes and motivation toward EFL learning in a multilingual and multicultural context?

How do the attitudes and motivations of university engineering students lead to identity formation in EFL learning in a multilingual and multicultural context?

Methodology

This study used a mixed-methods research strategy to combine quantitative and qualitative data. The questionnaire was used to collect data from a large sample and to analyze what influenced their motivation and attitudes in a multilingual and multicultural context. Interviews, journals and field notes were used to collect in-depth data to understand whether learners’ identities undergo change due to the context of the study. SPSS Version 26 was used for ordered logistic regression which was used to evaluate the influence of the attitude and motivation factors on identity formation among the students. The use of multiple tools and data sources is essential for successful data triangulation. The dependent variable is the identity formation while the independent variables are the twelve (12) subscales, and age, gender, and nationality as control variables.

Participants

This study involved a representative sample of students from the Faculty of Engineering at an international university in North Cyprus. All participants provided written informed consent before their voluntary participation. One hundred twenty-seven students responded to the questionnaire survey, while 11 participated in an interview and four prepared journals which were used to synchronize the quantitative findings. Pseudonyms were used to protect interview participants’ identities.

The study examined the linguistic diversity of the population that 102 (80.31%) males and 25 (19.69%) females were represented in the study. Forty-eight (37.80%) were of the Afro-Asiatic language family, 31 (24.41%) were of the Turkic language family, 30 (23.62%) were of the Indo-European language family, and 18 (14.17%) were of the Niger-Congo language family. Additionally, 77 (60.63%) of the population were of Asian origin, followed by 49 (38.58%) of African origin and 1 (0.79%) of European origin. Computer Engineering had the highest percentage of respondents 48 (37.8%), followed by Mechanical Engineering 33 (26.0%), Civil Engineering 18 (14.2%), Industrial Engineering, and Electrical and Electronics Engineering 16 (12.6%) and 12(9.4%) respectively (see Tables 1 and 2).

Table 1.

Demographic Characteristics of Questionnaire Respondents.

Demographic characteristics	Frequency	Percent	Cumulative percent
Age of respondents
17	5	3.94	3.94
18	6	4.72	8.66
19	13	10.24	18.90
20	32	25.20	44.09
21	35	27.56	71.65
22	20	15.75	87.40
23	7	5.51	92.91
24	4	3.15	96.06
25	4	3.15	99.21
26	1	0.79	100.00
Total	127	100.00
Gender of respondents
Male	102	80.31	80.31
Female	25	19.69	100.00
Total	127	100.00
Mother Tongue (Linguistic background) of respondents
Afro-Asiatic	48	37.80	37.80
Turkic	31	24.41	62.20
Indo-European	30	23.62	85.83
Niger-Congo	18	14.17	100.00
Total	127	100.00
Nationality classified by continent of origin of the respondents
Africa	49	38.58	38.58
Asia	77	60.63	99.21
Europe	1	0.79	100.00
Total	127	100.00
Departments of respondents
Computer Engineering	48	37.80	37.80
Electrical and Electronics Engineering	12	9.40	47.20
Industrial Engineering	16	12.60	59.80
Mechanical Engineering	33	26.00	85.80
Civil Engineering	18	14.20	100.00
Total	127	100.00

Source. Fieldwork research statistical analysis (2021).

Table 2.

Demographic Characteristics of Interview Participants.

S/N	Name	Gender	Age	Country	Native language	Other languages
1.	Abdulrahman	Male	19 Years	Kenya	Swahili	Arabic, English
2.	Aarahya	Female	19 Years	India	Hindi	Urdu, English
3.	Abdel	Male	20 Years	Jordan	Arabic	Turkish, English
4.	Saeed	Male	21 Years	UAE	Arabic	English, Japanese, French, German
5.	Ece	Female	20 Years	Cyprus	Turkish	Spanish, German, English
6.	Adeel	Male	21 Years	Pakistan	Urdu	Arabic, English, Turkish
7.	Khouche	Male	22 Years	Mauritania	Arabic	French, English, Turkish
8.	Rayana	Female	20 Years	Kazakh	Kazakh	Russia, English
9.	Anastasia	Female	19 Years	Russia	Russia	English, German
10.	Adra	Female	20 Years	Iraq	Kurdish	Turkish, Arabic, English
11.	Ahijo	Male	20 Years	Cameroon	Fulbe	English, French, Turkish

Source. Field survey (2021).

The data suggests that the appropriate demographic has been chosen for this investigation, as all of the students are in a stage of identity awareness and are at their optimum age to learn a new language (Sadeghi & Khonbi, 2013; Singleton, 1995; Snow, 1983). All of the participants were enrolled in various courses at the University’s Faculty of Engineering at the time of the interview. The language and cultural backgrounds of the participants are fully described in the table below.

For this study, a purposive sampling strategy was used (Suri, 2011). Due to the COVID-19 problems, this sampling technique is required because the participates were willing, easy to access as well as have the required experience and knowledge for the interview, journal writing and the online survey.

Ethical Considerations

Participants were interviewed on Zoom as part of a research study and agreed to have their voices recorded. The questionnaire was given the same treatment because the target group could not be met in person due to COVID-19. The questionnaire was distributed online, and the university’s ethics committee approved the study’s conduct. All information acquired is kept in strict confidence by the researchers, who are the only ones with access to it.

Instruments and Piloting Process

This study used a mixed-methods research design with two stages. Adapted questions from Taguchi et al. (2009), Ryan (2009), and Islam, et al. (2013) were added to the Motivational Factors Questionnaire (MFQ) created by Rasool and Winke (2019). The questionnaire had 48 items to be assessed on a 7-Likert scale, from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.” Reliability data for the 48 survey items (representing 13 Scales) showed a Cronbach’s alpha of .913. The values of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were determined to evaluate the internal consistency of each scale. According to Dörnyei (2003), any scale with a Cronbach’s alpha value of .60 and fewer than ten elements should be approved. Three of the scales, ought-to-self, criteria, and identity formation, had Cronbach Alpha values of .42 and .43, similar to the findings in Rasool and Winke (2019) and Islam et al. (2013), where integrativeness was reported to have a very low Alpha value of .33 and .30, respectively. These scales were retained for additional examination to monitor their conduct over time. Meanwhile, the interview questions where formulated from the items in the questionnaire to aid get in depth information.

Results

What are the Factors That Determine University Engineering Students’ Attitudes and Motivation Toward EFL Learning in a Multilingual and Multicultural Context?

The major factors considered in this study for measuring the university engineering students’ attitudes and motivations toward learning EFL in a multilingual and multicultural setting were age, gender, mother tongue, nationality, Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, instrumentality (promotion), attitudes to learning English, cultural interest, attitudes to L2 community, integrativeness, international posture, milieu, anxiety, criterion, and national interest. The impact of these factors on the learners’ identity formation was assessed using an ordered logistic regression.

To accomplish its goal of examining university engineering students’ attitudes and motives in connection to their identity development in the acquisition of EFL in a multilingual and multicultural setting, this study employed the ordered logistic regression approach. The impact of attitude and motivational variables on students’ identity development was assessed using regression. The dependent variable (identity formation) is a categorical variable with naturally ordered response categories: “strongly disagree,”“disagree,”“somewhat disagree,”“neutral,”“somewhat agree,”“agree,” and “strongly agree” (7-point Likert scale). Accordingly, the ordered logistic regression is the most suitable in this situation.

We used the Ordered Logistic Regression model, also called the logit model, a sub-type of logistic regression where the Y-category is ordered. Therefore, the dependent variable (Identity formation) has a meaningful order and more than two categories. Hence, the study did not reduce the dependent variable (Identity formation) to a dichotomous one because a dichotomous dependent variable is for binary logistic or binary probit regression. A binary or dichotomous variable is a variable that has a two-response category, such as “Yes and No”; “True or False”; “Agree and Disagree.” In this study, the response category consists of more than two options and is naturally ordered. For instance, a respondent who “Strongly Agrees,” agrees more than the one who just “Agrees.” Similarly, the respondent who “Agreed,” agrees more than the one who is “Neutral (Undecided).” This is referred to as the natural order (Winship & Mare, 1984; Long & Freese, 2006; Orme, & Combs-Orme, 2009; Baltagi, 2021).

Table 3 below shows the results of ordered logistic regression:

Table 3.

Results of Ordered Logistic Regression.

Dependent variable: Identity formation	Estimate	Odds ratio	Std. error	Wald	p-Value
Threshold
[Identityform = 2]	−2.336	.09672	3.088	.572	.449
[Identityform = 3]	.788	2.1983	3.029	.068	.795
[Identityform = 4]	3.137	23.040	3.038	1.066	.302
[Identityform = 5]	5.514	248.18	3.067	3.232	.072
[Identityform = 6]	7.165	1,293.6	3.135	5.225	.022
Independent variables (Location)
Age	.209**	1.2328	.105	3.963	.047
Gender	−1.035**	.3553	.475	4.745	.029
Mother’s tongue	.091	1.0953	.175	.270	.603
Nationality	−1.160***	.3135	.386	9.016	.003
Ideal L2 self	.048	1.0489	.228	.044	.834
Ought-to L2 self	.185	1.2029	.187	.978	.323
Instrumentality (promotion)	.272	1.3123	.260	1.094	.296
Attitudes to learning English	−.127	.8805	.274	.215	.643
Cultural Interest	.178	1.1952	.216	.678	.410
Attitudes to L2 community	−.510**	.6003	.258	3.912	.048
Integrativeness	.249	1.2827	.247	1.018	.313
International posture	−.241	.7859	.248	.941	.332
Milieu	.301	1.3508	.231	1.689	.194
Anxiety	.221	1.2479	.133	2.763	.096
Criterion	.015	1.0152	.200	.006	.940
National Interest	−.206	.8136	.174	1.401	.237

Note. ^** and ^*** denote 5% and 1% levels of significance respectively.

As displayed in Table 3 above, the coefficients, odds ratio, and test of significance statistics (standard error, t-statistic (wald), and p-value) are the most crucial statistics required in the ordered logistic regression results. The sign of the coefficients shows the nature of the connection between the independent and dependent variables. The coefficients’ statistical significance is examined using the standard error, t-statistic, or p-value. The coefficients’ significance test reveals if the independent factors significantly affect the dependent variable. If the p-value is lower than the study’s specified level of significance, which in this case is 5% (0.05), the coefficient is considered statistically significant. The coefficient is deemed statistically insignificant if the p-value is higher than .05.

Identity formation is the dependent variable in this study while the independent variables include age, gender, and nationality as control variables, as well as all twelve (12) subscales. The results indicated that whereas other factors are favorably associated with identity development, gender, age, nationality, attitudes toward learning English, attitudes toward the L2 community, international posture, and national interest are adversely related. A positive coefficient indicates that when the independent variable’s scores rise, the likelihood of identity development (the dependent variable) increases. In contrast, a negative coefficient suggests that higher scores for the independent variable reduce the chance of identity development (the dependent variable). The results also showed that age (β = .209, p-value = .0470.05), gender (β = −1.035, p-value = .0290.05), nationality (β = −1.160, p-value = .0030.05), and attitude toward the L2 community (β = −.510, p-value = .0480.05) are the only variables whose coefficients are statistically significant at the 5% level of significance. All other variables’ coefficients are statistically insignificant at this level. This is because the p-values of the former’s coefficients are less than .05, but the latter’s p-values are greater than .05. This implies that while other factors may not have a significant influence on identity formation, “age,”“gender,”“nationality,” and “attitude toward the L2 community” do.

Older learners have a higher possibility of developing their own identities, according to the positive age coefficient. The size of the effect of Age on Identity Formation is indicated by the odds ratio, which is 1.2328. This implies that increase in Age by 1 year will increase the likelihood (odds) of Identity Formation by 1.2328. In other words, Age increases the likelihood of Identity Formation by more than proportionate increase in the age. The negative gender coefficient indicates that female students are less likely to develop their identities. The gender codes for male and female students are 1 and 2, respectively. The larger value of gender, therefore, relates to the respondents (students) who are female. The findings, therefore, show that male students are more likely to form identities.

It is important to note that the odds ratio is used to evaluate the effect size. The odds ratio demonstrates the degree to which the independent factors have an impact on the dependent variable. However, the odds ratios of only the statistically significant coefficients of the variables are used to interpret the magnitude of the effect (effect size) of the independent variables on the dependent variable. The size of the effect of Gender, as indicated by the odds ratio, shows that being a female student reduces the likelihood of Identity Formation by about 35.53% (0.3553). Identity Formation and Nationality are not compatible. Considering that Nationality is divided into categories for Africa, Asia, and Europe with the codes 1, 2, and 3, respectively, according to the negative coefficient, Asian and European students are less likely to form Identity than African students. The odds ratio, 0.3135. Shows the effect size. This indicates that being Asian and European students reduces the likelihood of identity formation by about 31.35% (0.3135). The learners who have a positive attitude toward the English language community (English-speaking nations) are less likely of identity formation, as against those with a negative coefficient of Attitude toward the L2 Community. The magnitude of the effect of Attitude toward the L2 Community is indicated by the odds ratio (0.6003), which shows that positive attitude toward the L2 community will reduce the likelihood of Identity Formation by about 60.03% (0.6003).

According to the odds ratio, older students had a 1.2328 chance of Identity Formation, compared to odds for Gender, Nationality, and Attitude to L2 Community, with scores of 0.3553, 0.3135, and 0.6003, respectively. With higher scores on the factors, it follows that Identity Formation is less likely to occur. As a result, the regression analysis showed that Age has a large positive impact on the Identity Formation of university engineering students whereas Gender, Nationality, and Attitude toward the L2 Community have significant negative influence (increase in attitude and reduces possibility of Identity Formation). The formation of identities is not significantly influenced by other constructs (scales).

How do the Attitudes and Motivations of University Engineering Students Lead to Identity Formation in EFL Learning in a Multilingual and Multicultural Context?

A thematic analysis of interview data is aimed at “finding and marking the underlying ideas in the data, grouping similar information together, and relating different ideas and themes to one another” (Rubin & Rubin, 1995, p. 229). Themes from the interview data were identified by repeatedly comparing the written transcript to the interview audio. The topics were compared and grouped by similar concepts after coding. The section discusses qualitative data from interviews, students’ journals, and field notes, which helped externalize internal behaviors or thoughts (Liescher & Dailey-O’Cain, 2017). From interview discussions, students’ language learning journals, and researchers’ field notes, various themes were categorized to show how learners secure and construct their identities in EFL learning.

Learners’ Feelings While Speaking Different Languages

The respondents gave a variety of answers based on their personal feelings and experiences, particularly as it relates to their culture, ethnicity, religion, nationality, and multilingual and cultural status. When asked, “Do you sometimes feel like a different person when you use English?” the students revealed how they perceive themselves and how they feel when speaking other languages, revealing how they create their identities. Abdulrahman, a Kenyan speaker of Swahili, states:

Since I speak three languages, speaking English feels strange. I speak Swahili, Arabic, and English. When I speak each language, I feel different. I speak Swahili with my people, not Arabic. I feel different when I speak English. You feel like another person when you speak a language, but not exactly. Speaking the native language with friends makes you feel distinct and more connected. After growing up in the native language, you feel free with it. Yes, English is widely spoken. Everyone speaks English; it’s a common language. Even word pronunciation differs from the native language.

Ahijo claims that speaking English makes him feel different from speaking French, which he is more comfortable with. He gained confidence in his ability to speak English due to regular interactions with lecturers and classmates. He says:

Yes, it happened to me sometimes, like at the beginning, because before coming here (meaning Cyprus), I was mostly speaking French. So, when I came here, I found it weird. Like, for me, just talking with everybody in English I got used to talking in English with my teachers and everybody else, but outside of my daily life, I talk and chat in French, especially with people at home. I did, and I became more confident speaking English too.

The same is true for certain EFL students who experience distinct emotions when speaking English and their native languages. One such is Respondent 61, who claims, “When I speak English, I feel different than when I speak Turkish. As if it wasn’t me speaking but someone else. Even if I feel that way, I don’t think it will have an impact on my identity or personality.” The multilingual level of the EFL students is evident in the way they think in the target language as if it were their native tongue. Because they run the risk of losing their traditional and cultural speech patterns when speaking in English, identity formation is occurring. Despite the fact that people believe they are using English as a tool for communication, enjoyment, and academic achievement and that it does not influence identity change, in reality, it does. As an illustration, consider what Respondent 69 said: “English for me is just another essential tool to go on with my daily life. It has had an impact on me to the point of having me think in English in my mind…. Effectively causing me to lose some of my main language and my habits with it overall.” Similar to Respondent 91 (Nigerian-Female-21, Yoruba), other EFL students also voiced concern about losing their language, which serves as their identity. Even so, she stated that she has a positive attitude toward speaking English, “I am happy anytime I speak English but deep down I fear that my mother tongue won’t become a lost language because almost everyone in my country wants to learn and speak English that very little people pay attention to speaking their unique mother tongues from different tribes.” English is considered as a sort of threat to minority languages as it causes “language death” when there are no speakers of the language left.

The speakers’ identities are affected since they feel different when speaking a language other than theirs. For example, a learner experiences some sort of feelings that do change during the act. Respondent 63 claims:

I’ve been using English to speak and think for a long time, but I’ve never really thought much about how it might have impacted my identity growing up. I used to be obsessed with grammatical rules and stuff like that, probably because it made me feel like I could sort of “join” the native speakers that way, but nowadays I think it doesn’t really matter how a language is used as long as you’re getting your point across.

Due to their extensive exposure to the English language and the fact that they think in English before speaking, the learners do not appear to undergo any identity shifts. When talking to people they know, such as their classmates and friends, they feel normal, but talking to their professors has an effect. As Saeed claimed: “Well, it all depends on the people I talk to. If it was someone, like a professor or teacher, yeah, I’ll feel like a different person, but when I speak to anyone else, someone I know or someone I used to speak with all the time, I will speak like natural.” Abdel’s language learning experience journal and participant discussions revealed that although he has friends who speak Arabic, his native tongue, he prefers to converse in English with them. However, he finds it awkward to speak in front of his professors and those he does not know well or who are unfamiliar to him; this may be due to a fear of violating rules of register. He claims:

I have many friends, and when we speak with each other, we speak in English, although our mother tongue is Arabic. We find it easier to express ourselves in English, and we feel more like ourselves when we chat in English. I find it weird when I speak in English in front of a professor or someone I do not know. Maybe because I have to be formal while speaking, I do not feel really comfortable speaking to them.

On the other hand, some language learners do not see any difference between speaking English and any other language at all. For example, Aarahya claims “Not at all. I feel normal nothing strange.” Like Respondent 52, some other EFL students are selective in their diction during talks. She claims:

When I speak English, I feel comfortable. I know how to pick my words and the tone I use to express my thoughts and ideas with other people. I adapt with the level of proficiency of English other people have, so I don’t make them feel bad or I don’t look like a show-off. For me I like helping people learn English and make them enjoy it. Since I was a kid, I felt I am a different person when I am speaking in English, sometimes it felt weird, other times it felt good. I think it depends on the community and the people’s behavior toward English. English is an easy and open language that connects people all around the world.

The statement above reflects identity change/formation been experienced by the EFL learner. She had learned how to accommodate lower-proficiency speakers during communication, reflecting awareness of the function of English as a lingua franca. The influence on the EFL learners’ identities may not always be noticed and accepted, but it is evident. By being proficient in English, individuals feel as though they have elevated their social status and have made better achievements than others. It is thought that nationality and religious identities are unaffected. “There is no effect on national or religious identity… But when I speak English, I do have a strange feeling that leads me to be a little proud” says a learner (Respondent 94). It seems that the respondent enjoys a sense of pride in speaking English, which can be seen as an attribute distinguishing the English-speaking community. Speaking EFL may not directly affect identification, but it may cause individuals to misrepresent the identities of learners. Respondent 123 affirms: “I feel a little strange because I still do not think that I can explain myself efficiently like it’s my mother tongue. I don’t think there will be an impact on my identity but it can affect the way people see my identity. Because it’s not my mother tongue and there may be misunderstandings between people and me.”

As it relates to their identity formation, the community and behavior of the target language speakers have an impact on the attitudes and motivation of EFL learners. Respondent 54, an EFL learner, claims that learning English has little bearing on who she is and that she can be herself in whatever language she chooses. No matter the circumstances, not every learner’s identity is affected by all the languages they speak “I don’t feel like speaking English has any impact on my identity and I can be myself no matter what language I use.” Similar to Respondent 92, some EFL students do not perceive any differences in the way they create their identities.

Honestly, I don’t feel any difference when I’m speaking in other languages. It’s become intrinsic for me to speak English due to speaking with various people (natives and non-natives), being in English-speaking communities etc. Of course, I use different phrases and terminologies, but that’s completely tied to the fact that I didn’t learn English in the exact way that I did in Persian or Russian.

On the other hand, based on the open-ended questions in the survey, some respondents said that speaking a foreign language did influence their identity and made them feel different because it caused them to deviate from their cultures, customs, and traditions. Respondent 23 admits the possibility of such an effect but finds it hard to explain the reasons: “I believe it had an effect, but it might be difficult to explain why as it isn’t easy to spot and might be due to complex psychological reasons.” The ability to speak more than one language can have a positive or negative impact on one’s identity. Those who speak English as a foreign language (EFL) may experience happy emotions as well as negative ones. Speaking a specific language may induce a change or shift in the identity of the learners as they attempt to adjust to the particularities of each language they use (McVeigh, 2002). As a result, students believe that discussing technology in English presents ideas that are more explicit; however, when engaged in emotional conversations, feelings could change, as stated in a remark by an EFL learner (Respondent 50): “I do not feel that I completely change when speaking English or any other language, but I do feel like I have more ideas and context to relate to when speaking other languages. When I speak English, I feel like I have more ideas about technology and I can explain things in more detail. But I do not feel that way when things get emotional.” The students claimed that they occasionally experienced fear when speaking in English. Such emotions, which also include worry, are a form of identity change that may have an impact on EFL learners’ attitudes and motivation (Adolesc, 2022). The learners’ sensation of anxiety is a red flag that exposes their status as non-native speakers. Insofar as they feel that the target language is a part of their identity in addition to other identities, such as one’s traditional, cultural, or linguistic identity, some learners categorically state that it has an impact on their sense of self, yet they do not feel the loss of identity, even though they may sound like different people. One of the students, Respondent 93, said:

It has its impact on my identity but at the end of the day I don’t feel like I lose my identity. Yes, I sound like another person when I speak English and I even think in English, however having access to the languages I speak and speaking them fluently whenever I am supposed to is what makes me feel that way. You could say it has become a part of my identity.

A non-native speaker (see Byram, 2006; Kung, 2013, Kung, 2021) views thinking in another language to be an indication of identity loss. It is a kind of identity change when learners feel that they are different individuals or assuming other identities while using languages other than their native languages. The EFL students in the discussion interview said that language is a component of culture. Some EFL students, including Respondent 104, stated: “Sometimes I feel that because language is directly connected to that language’s culture and when you speak that language you represent that language’s culture.” Also, Respondent 2 stated: “Yeah, sometimes I feel like I have the background and culture of the foreign language I’m using.” They easily become aware of the consequences for society because they begin to identify with outsiders. Equally, Respondents 19 and 49, respectively, reported in their own responses that every language had various ways of expressing itself that ultimately exhibit or represent its own civilizations.

As each language is different from another language, the ways of expression differ in each form of culture. For example, each culture has a way to greet/welcome/ in which makes it unique compared to other cultures. Therefore, the use of a different language makes you sense the difference in your attitude, or the ways you express your emotions, in which, it is yes! You realize a different version of yourself. (Respondents 19)

Respondent 49, however, disagreed and claimed: “Yes, each language gives me more phrases and ideas related to the culture of that language, an example is that I can explain technical things related to my career, in some way, it feels like a different person in my opinion.” Along the same lines, Respondent 51 stated in response to a related question that every language they spoke had a role in their life, as evident in the following: “Yes, because the way I express myself varies with each language, making me feel like I am a different person with each language I use.” They experience a different level of confidence with each language they speak. This is evident in the following quotation: “Yes, I do because using different languages makes me feel more confident and also provides more opportunities to learn more about different cultures, and knowledge from different countries, and through all these, my horizon was broadened. So, in short, yes, I do feel like a different person” (Respondent 56). In response to the query regarding how one’s identity changes when speaking a new language(s). When speaking a language different from their native languages, they see or experience a change in their identity. Regarding whether or not EFL learners experience different feelings when speaking or using different languages, Respondent 121 makes the following statement:

Yes, because of the different language. For example, English, when I speak in English to anyone, I feel like my character changes with this language. In my life routine, I don’t get used to talking in English, normally I always talk in Turkish. Because of that reason, when I try to talk in English with my foreign friends, I feel like a different person.

On the other hand, some people said in response to a similar question that they felt no different while speaking other languages, not even when speaking English. As seen in the replies provided by the EFL students, such as that of Respondent 110, “No. Because whenever I think about stuff, I sometimes try my best to think of it in different languages. I even say my ideas out loud in different languages to practice a bit. So talking in different languages doesn’t make me feel different. Since I am used to it a lot.” Similarly, Respondent 16 adds that the individual’s culture and ideas are what matter the most and that language is just a tool for self-expression:

I really don’t think that using other language matters its just about the person and his culture and beliefs. Language is only the way that he wants to express himself to you so you can understand what he wants to express, so it’s just a translation of what is really inside the mind. Sometimes it can be hard since you’re using a different language other than your native language but still, the same thing doesn’t change.

Further still, they do not see language as having an impact on their identity; they just seem to use it as an instrument for accomplishing their own personal goals, such as communication, study, travel, commerce, or trade. According to Respondent 31, it provides them with additional opportunities to voice their opinions in a much more effective manner. “I don’t feel like a different person when I do speak a different language, but for sure it gives you more chances to expand your point of view.” Respondent 74 asserts, “Not while speaking English, but it happens while speaking German, especially to German people.” This suggests that when speaking one language, identity transformation may occur, but not all languages.

Speaking many languages allows one to form closer relationships with a variety of people. Although one does not feel different when using a new language, Respondent 91 claims that speaking one’s own native language makes one feel more liberated and content. “No. I don’t feel so; however, expressing myself in my mother tongue is always easier and more satisfying for me.” In similar lines, another speaker says “I don’t feel like a different person; however, when I connect with other people using their languages, I feel a strong connection with these people, especially when travelling” (Respondent 53). Respondent 61 claims that although she does sound different when speaking a different language, she does not feel any different.

I don’t particularly feel different, but I’ve noticed that I sound different. With Japanese, for example, I seem to use a noticeably higher-pitched tone than usual, and I probably come across as more attentive and polite to the person I’m speaking with. With Turkish, my voice tends to stay in low octaves, and I’ve noticed that I tend to speak a lot more casually, to the point of sounding brash.

Some EFL learners do not notice any difference when speaking a different language, especially if they have had extensive exposure to and competence in two or more languages since they have already absorbed these languages. One of the EFL learners said in her response that learning a new language from scratch might lead them to feel strange and anxious since they are unfamiliar with the language as well as its culture and tradition, which are all parts of the language. “The language is directly connected to that language’s culture, and when you speak that language, you represent this language’s culture” (Respondent 104). Invariably, they experience an impact on their identity but find it difficult to identify such because of their multilingual and multicultural exposure.

From the discussions above, the university engineering students have a variety of basic attitudes and motivations when it comes to forming their identities through the learning of EFL in a multilingual and multicultural environment. The findings from the quantitative part indicate that age has a significant positive impact on the identity formation of university engineering students, while gender, nationality, cultural background, and attitude toward the L2 community have a significant negative impact on their identity formation. This is in line with the qualitative data, which indicates a significant impact on the identity formation of university engineering students.

Language Use Comfortability

Language use comfortability means being calm and not feeling physically or mentally distressed when speaking a language. Contentment, relaxation, and satisfaction with one’s surroundings, circumstances, or personal experiences are suggested. However, language shapes identity. Language’s identity-expressing capacity depends on label and context. People usually prefer the words they use to identify themselves. Language identifies people. During language use, interference occurs. This means when native speakers’ habits affect their second language usage. Mother-tongue interference entails reorganizing patterns created by foreign materials in highly organized areas including the phonemic system, morphology, syntax, semantics and lexicon. Interference is the transfer of mother-tongue surface structure to the target language (see Byram, 2006; de Bruin et al., 2020).

The majority of learners are more comfortable speaking their native languages because they see them as their identity and are familiar with their rules. This makes it their preferred method of communication and the kind of identity that is revealed (culture, ethnicity, religion, and nationality). Abdulrahman, for example, speaks his mother tongue fluently, which helps to explain why he feels so devoted to it.

Yeah, I speak my local language very well and I love my language very much. Actually, it’s really culturally catchy in my country. I come from a community, with ethnicity and with religion. Many of us like many Muslims over there speak the language. The religion and ethnicity, but my ethnicity is Yemini, I’m Arab but we don’t actually talk Arabic that much back home, the most language we use is the local language, Swahili. So it brings up the cultural vibe.

Ahijo, on the other hand, is more at ease communicating with any group of individuals at any moment using either of the two alternative languages. He claims, “The language in which I feel more comfortable is French. Which is the first language that I’ve learned, and second, my native language, Fula, because it is sometimes spoken at home. These are the two languages in which I feel most comfortable talking. Even though English has become part of me now. He continued by saying that although other African countries speak the same language with some dialectical differences, he is quite fluent in his mother tongue, although only in the dialect spoken in his country. “My mother tongue is Fula, which I can comfortably speak. I can speak it very well. It is my identity. I can speak it, but the one of my country (only my country’s dialect)…there are other countries that speak that too,” he added. Similarly, Rayana claims the topic of discussion determines which language to use but mainly, she is more proficient in Kazakh and prefers using it. “When I speak about religions and culture, this stuff, I feel more comfortable speaking in Kazakh. Because I’m a native”. The rules of the language are innate, and “I can communicate very well in Kazakh because it’s my language and it’s the language I was raised speaking,” she added. When learners view their native languages as reserved languages that they protect and reserve, a certain influence on identity occurs. In the absence of their native languages, English serves as an additional means of communication for them. When it comes to language use, they prioritize their native languages first, before any other language. Example: Respondent 124 “I never mix languages. My Arabic language is preserved, and I know when to speak which language. English is only spoken when the person I am talking to can’t understand my mother tongue. I don’t like talking English with people who understand my first language, and I also don’t like those who do that.” The students do hold their native languages in high esteem. Some claim that speaking English does not significantly alter their sense of self while speaking other languages has a significant negative influence on their identity. This might be because English is taught in schools where everyone practices it. Respondent 50, an EFL learner, expressed it this way: “I do not feel any serious impacts on my identity when speaking in English, but I feel some when speaking other languages; for example, when I speak Hebrew (although I do not do it often and I do not speak it fluently), I feel like betraying my own home and people. Because of that I always prefer and more comfortable using my mother tongue.” This is due to identity change or identity confusion since they do not want their identities to be mixed up in any way.

As opposed to this, another EFL student (Respondent 59) claims that she speaks English as naturally as she does her native language. That means she encounters mother-tongue interference, but to her, it does not change who she is; rather, it exposes who she is, she claims: “I feel like I am speaking my native language, but since I haven’t been to any English-speaking countries, I do have a hard time sometimes.”

Another point to consider is that some language learners face embarrassment whenever their mother tongue interferes with their use of language, particularly the English language. However, through persistent practice over time, they were able to conquer the obstacle. As Adra noted, she might not be able to speak English as fluently like a native speaker; she is sure of making mistakes either in her grammar or in pronunciation. Although speaking her mother tongue may occasionally make her feel self-conscious because she worries that people will find it odd, she is able to overcome this because it is a part of her identity. Therefore, mother-tongue interference is inevitable while speaking English as a non-native speaker, which could be embarrassing sometimes, especially in a gathering of different people. Nevertheless, the conversation must go on, despite some discomfort and shame. Adra claims: “Because you know you’re so used to speaking the local language. There’re some mother tongue interference. That can bring a little shame, you know, let’s say you’re in a big place and you’re talking to people, and then interference comes in, you will feel a little shame, you will feel embarrassed.”

They do not think it is an issue when their mother tongue interferes with their spoken English. Since English is not their native language, interference should not cause shame. As Rayana said during conversation “…it is not a shame when there is interference. Not really. I don’t feel ashamed because it’s not my first language. It is not my language or anything. So, I’m also learning it like everyone.” Another student (Respondent 107) concurs that shyness is not necessary:

Actually, I am a very comfortable person when it comes to speaking English even if I make a mistake. Because it is only important to pass correct opinion. Of course, I do not mean talking weirdly but languages are not holy or blessed by God, this means there is no problem in making small mistakes. Just explaining myself. Nothing more and it’s possible to have an impact on my identity.

Making errors when speaking as a non-native speaker may have little influence on the learner’s identity; as a result, the individual may become timid or feel inferior.

Meanwhile, the learners often struggle to find synonyms for their favorite words, leading to interference in their use of language. Pronouncing English words can be an obstacle during the learning process, and they accept that speaking English affects their character and identity construction. EFL learning exposes learners to its traditions and cultures, which can corrupt their beliefs, cultures, ethics, and traditions says Respondent 96.

Forgetting words when I need them, is a sure thing. It happens a lot. However, in most cases, I would find some alternatives or synonyms—even if they weren’t as advanced. Sometimes pronouncing words in the correct manner is also an obstacle. This makes me feel somehow nervous when speaking in English sometimes. Sometimes I would unconsciously say words in my mother tongue, and this is another reason to make me feel a bit worried when speaking in English, especially in situations where another language is included. For instance, when I did my IELTS Exam, the speaking part, was a bit of a challenge. English, being a big part of my daily routine from the lectures at university to speaking to my friends, does influence my character and identity. Knowing a foreign language gives me the opportunity to get to know more about different cultures and traditions. Hence, naturally, this might alter some of my beliefs and ethics (not necessarily negatively).

The learning and speaking of EFL according to some learners do not have an effect on their identity rather it improves the relationship between different categories of students from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and this can be considered a positive impact.

I don’t think speaking English would affect my identity, I see it as a tool that helps me share my identity and my culture with the outside world. I think it is very important for communication, especially since I am now in a foreign country (CYPRUS) and a very basic Turkish speaker. English is much needed for me to communicate with people around me. (Respondent 97)

EFL is used to the learners’ benefit since it allows them to show their identity to the people they encounter in life. Given that it is used to develop students’ personalities, it has a favorable effect on their personalities. “I think speaking English as a foreign language gives me an advantage to learn more about other countries and their cultures. The impact, I found to be a positive one which improved my personality in respect to my culture not to lose it,” says Respondent 105. Respondent 122 concurs with a similar viewpoint and asserts that regardless of a person’s linguistic, cultural, or religious background, English is a tool for communication that is used to build connections. It helps her learn more about cultures other than her own, so it is not necessarily about identity development, construction, or transformation.

I have friends that I can practice my English more efficiently with. When I talk to them, I feel like there’s a third person that texts them and talks with them. I learned so much by talking to my friends. Their cultures, their history, their thoughts and ideas. So, Talking English gave me experience and different perspectives, so I feel like improved and advanced. Knowledge is so important for me so I’d like to share every topic with my friends again and again. I’d like to listen to every topic with them because it’s the knowledge that makes us more developed.

Most respondents indicated that they are more comfortable speaking their native languages wherever they find themselves and that their native languages define their identity more than any other language. Though they experience language interference in spoken English, they do not see it as a problem, knowing that the English language is not their mother tongue. The quantitative results in Table 2 show that nationality, cultural background, and national interest have negative relationships with identity formation. The negative coefficient suggests that there is less likelihood of identity formation among Asian and European students compared to African students, while other variables are positively related to it. The positive coefficient implies that there is more likelihood of identity formation with higher scores of the independent variable.

Self-Perception of Multilingualism and Multiculturalism

We asked the respondents if they thought of themselves as bilingual and multicultural. All of them claimed to speak two or more languages, and even if their proficiency in some might not be very good, they could still have basic conversations. They all described themselves as multilingual and multicultural people. Additionally, either in their home countries or abroad, they had lived in and experienced cultures other than their own and this helped them to form their identity. As it with Abdulrahman (Yemeni, M-19):

I consider myself to be a multilingual and multicultural person. Yeah. I was born in Kenya but ethnicity, I’m actually Yemini. So, there are two cultures I can say. Comparing the Swahili culture and the Arabic culture. They are very different, ranging from everything, the food, the language, in fact, everything. The things that people wear. The two cultures we mix them together. We actually mix them together. They coincide.

Similarly, Ahijo (Cameroon, Male-20) claims that, given his exposure to other languages and cultures, he views his identity as a multilingual and multicultural. “I can honestly say, Yes, I consider myself quite multilingual and multicultural because from childhood I got exposed to a lot of languages and their cultures. I can speak French, English, German, Fula (Fulée) and now learning Turkish, to improve the little I knew before now.” He added the following: “And these languages, when I communicate with the people, I feel more connected to them. Like, when you approach somebody in his own language, the person feels more connected to you and the person will be more accessible.” As the native speakers of the languages welcome the learner(s), the learner(s) will feel accepted and be of part of the community helping to form their identity. Another respondent made a lighter comment. “I can speak three additional languages to English. So, to an extent, I can consider myself as a multilingual” (Anastasia [Russia, Female-19]). This is in line with Saeed’s discussion about considering himself multilingual and multicultural because he speaks three to four different languages.

Yeah, I think I guess I consider myself like that, a multilingual and multicultural person. I can speak perfectly, like good English and Arabic, I can speak a bit of Japanese, and yeah, I think a bit of German, French, and Turkish, languages. I can consider myself multilingual because I can speak three or four languages, and multicultural because I have lived in different cultural areas before, mainly Lebanon.

Adra (Iraq, Female-20) describes herself as multilingual and multicultural and claims that, in addition to her mother tongue and English, she can speak a little French and Turkish. “English is the language that I can communicate very well in but can speak bits of French and Turkish; I can only communicate a few sentences. I do consider myself a multilingual to some extent and a bit multicultural because I believe I can live or accommodate cultures different from mine comfortably,” she says. Abdel, a 20 year male from Jordan, says the same thing:

I do consider myself a multilingual and multicultural person because I speak two languages fluently, Arabic my mother tongue and English as a Foreign language. I equally speak two languages, though at basic levels, not fluent but good communication, these are Turkish and French. By studying abroad and living in different environments, the culture inclusive as well as my ability to speak other languages, comfortably, I am a multilingual and multicultural person. I lived comfortably in different cultures and I can always do.

The students, who identified themselves as multilingual and multicultural, share this viewpoint. They perceive themselves to be multilingual due to their basic communication skills in many languages; they are also multicultural due to their exposure to other languages, living in various cultural communities, and their ability to fit in. According to our theory, the respondents (students) have acquired notions like intergrativeness since they are better able to understand various cultures thanks to their English language proficiency. Additionally, they were able to gain knowledge of global events, which is what an international posture entails or conveys. Furthermore, they struggled mightily to hold onto and preserve their identity.

Discussion

The data analysis investigated the attitudes and motivations of university engineering students in connection to their identity formation in the study of EFL in a multilingual and multicultural environment. The study’s findings identified the variables (age, gender, nationality, and attitude toward L2community) that have a bearing on engineering students’ motivation for and attitudes toward studying English as a foreign language, as well as their identity formation. Tum and Kunt (2021) and Ushioda (2014) both assert that learning a new language requires a significant commitment of time and energy. As a result, success calls for a high level of motivation. Therefore, characteristics like gender, which seems to have a strong negative correlation with identity formation, play a significant role. The negative gender coefficient, however, indicates that male engineering students are more likely to construct identities than female engineering students, who are less likely to do so. The findings appear to support Carr and Poanwels’ (2006) claim that girls should be more interested in fields like literature and language. Such views may have also contributed to their lack of identity construction difficulties. Although Huguet (2007) and Lasagabaster (2016) did not find a statistically significant difference between genders in language acquisition, age is another element that is adversely associated with identity construction. The analysis of the data reveals that older university engineering students have a better likelihood of developing their own identities than younger students. Equally important, learners’ perspectives on the L2 community can have an effect on how university engineering students build their identities. National interest and identity formation are adversely connected.

The nationality of EFL learners is another important factor. It has a negative relationship with identity formation. The negative coefficient suggests that engineering students of Asian and European descent are less likely than engineering students of African descent to form an identity. According to some learners who expressed identity loss during the interview, this may be the case. Such attitudes are also noted in McVeigh’s (2002, p. 155) statement as follows: “For some students, learning English well contaminates, or at least threatens, their ethnocultural and national identity.” The findings are consistent with those of Bernaus et al. (2004). In their study, they focused on the effect of immigrant children’s cultural backgrounds on emotional factors in learning three distinct languages and found that cultural background had a negligible impact on language acquisition. They further stated that Asian students were less instrumentally oriented than African students and were more enthusiastic about studying languages than Spanish-speaking students.

According to the current study, learners of EFL experience some emotions that are distinct from those they experience while speaking their native languages since they do have a special bond with those languages. They believe that protecting their native languages is important since they are a part of who they are. They continue to speak and believe in their own native languages. The learners’ exposure to other cultures, whether at home or abroad, also influenced how they constructed their identities. The students have “an accurate understanding of the other culture as one that is different from one’s own, yet to be respected and valued” (Brown, 2007, p. 193). This is a blatant indicator that the learners view their own languages or speech variations as dimensions of comparison with other outgroups, supporting Cho’s (2000) assertion that heritage language (HL) maintenance has a crucial role to play in identity formation. As a person’s self-image is derived from the social categories that they identified with (Tajfel & Turner, 1979; Giles & Johnson, 1987), social identity issues come into play.

They saw the influence it had on their identity and made use of certain benefits of EFL proficiency. EFL proficiency supports career development and provides several practical advantages, including schooling, obtaining desirable jobs, and global employability. All of these increased learners’ motivation to learn EFL and their positive attitudes, which helped them be more motivated to keep learning the language (Brown, 2007; Drney, 2005, 2009; Soler, 2007; Turnbull 2017; Tum & Kunt, 2021; Ushioda, 2014). Strong motivation is thought to be a key factor in achieving success in language learning. “Language is painted with cultural elements and being proficient in a language is equivalent to living, feeling and thinking in that language” according to Ramos (2019, p. 17), and speaking a language well equates to feeling, thinking, and living in that language.

The results of the study also showed that while speaking English or any other language other than their native language, learners do occasionally feel like different people. Due to the diversity of their backgrounds, they frequently exhibit various traits. Due to their exposure to other languages and cultures, all of the students are also multilingual and multicultural. As the two are intertwined, they are capable of speaking several languages (Baker, 2001; Gürsoy & Kunt, 2018). This is important for assisting students in negotiating their identities and enhancing their academic achievement (Lee, 2002; Kung, 2013, 2021). They choose their language in a learning environment based on factors that can be controlled. Sometimes, thinking in a language other than one’s native language is a clear sign that a person’s linguistic attitudes have changed, revealing a change in personality or sense of self. The adaptability of multilingualism encourages them to use their linguistic skills both in the language-learning process and in the negotiation of hybrid identities. They do this by using the main linguistic discourse, which links nation, identity, and language, as a way to make it easier to distinguish between different languages (Gabrys’-Barker, 2014; Meredith, 2011; Pavlenko, 2011). In order to strike a balance between the necessity to preserve linguistic and cultural variety and the need for an integrated sense of self as a citizen, multilingualism is supported across Europe (Soler, 2007).

Conclusion

Factors such as gender, age, attitudes to the L2 community, and nationality of the learners are key and relevant in defining the learner’s attitudes and motivation toward EFL learning in identity formation. It is also important to note how protective EFL students are of their native languages, cultures, customs, and traditions. Through their native languages, they want to reserve and preserve their culture and identity. They are conscious of the need to protect their national and ethnic identities against contamination. As a result, their cultural heritage contributes positively to their identity construction and EFL learning. Furthermore, because they have lived in several cultural settings both at home and abroad, they are multilingual and multicultural learners. This assisted in both their identity-negotiation processes and EFL learning processes.

Therefore, regardless of the field of study, it is recommended that EFL be included in all university curricula. This will help students strengthen their attitudes toward EFL as well as their motivation to EFL learning without any negative impact on their identity; particularly those enrolled in professional programs, to fit into the diversified global job market and contribute their fair share to the expanding global economy. Learning EFL would increase students’ economic status after graduation and their capacity to acclimatize to any environment. In addition, a comparative study of such research is suggested across different institutions or university programs.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Ethical Approval

Ethical approval from Eastern Mediterranean

University’s Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Board (BAYEK) (Ref. number: ETK00-2020 -0266; Date: 11 .12.2020, issue: 2020181) was obtained.

Statement of Informed Consent

Participation in the study was on a voluntary basis and written informed consent was obtained from all the participants.

ORCID iDs

John Peter Wappa

Ilkay Gilanlioglu

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