Paper short abstract:

I examine the trajectory of a BA Japanese student's identity construction, utilising a multimodal representation called a "language portrait". Regarding linguistic and cultural identities as fluid and constantly emerging, the impact of the year abroad on the student's sense of self is discussed.

Paper long abstract:

Language plays a significant role in identity construction, perhaps especially for speakers of a heritage language. Regarding identities as fluid and constantly emerging sociocultural constructs, and conceiving multilingual speakers' language as linguistic repertoire, this study examines the trajectory of identity construction of Hana (pseudonym), who was born in the UK to a Japanese mother and a British father, and is a combined major of Japanese and Art-History at a British university. A method of biographical approach suggested by Busch (2016) called a "language portrait" was used for this study, using multimodal representations of the linguistic repertoire.

Hana spent her third year in Japan studying at a university in Kyoto as part of the university curriculum. She was asked to draw her language portrait on a body outline, focusing on which part of the body she associates her language(s) with and which colour most suitably represents the languages. This was done at three points in time: before she left for Japan, about 4 months into the year abroad, and upon return to the UK.

Before the year abroad, she drew the British flag with blue and red on the right half of the body and the Japanese flag on the left with half of a red circle. She identified herself as a 'haafu '(half), seemingly treating this identity as a given stable identity. But four months in, she found herself relying more on English, regarding English as her foundation drawn as blue feet. Her head (brain) was mostly English as well. Japanese was red and on her hands, because she had to be alert and careful in using the language and had to make efforts to mould the language. Upon return, having fully enjoyed the time in Japan, she found herself a hybrid of Japanese and English. A heart emerged on the body because her attitude had turned more emotional, and the two languages were now tangled lines of blue and red in the heart, which are impossible to untangle. Hana's portraits and narratives about them are discussed to understand the impact of the year abroad on her sense of self.