Journal Article Review 5 (CCU)

Citation: T. Zacharias, Nugrahenny. (2012). EFL Students' Understanding of Their Multilingual English Identities. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, vol. 9(2), pp. 223-244

In globalization era, English has been a bridge to facilitate some people from different countries to communicate with each other since they have a different language. Even in Europe itself, they also have their local language such as Italian, German, Greek, Irish and so on. The existence of English changes them to become a multi-language user. However, Indonesia has a lot of local language in every region so that Indonesian decide to have another language, Bahasa Indonesia, to unite their communication way. Nowadays, most of Indonesia are not able to speak their local language since they live in the place with the other different ethnic groups gathered. Furthermore, some of them never use their local language since they were born. The community who they lived with does not support them to communicate using their local language. However, one day, how if they meet people who ask them what is your ethnic identity, they will confuse to answer this question since they have blood from certain ethnic but they usually live in the environment with less using their local language. In this article, I will explain what I've read about how multilingual English users in EFL context in Indonesia understand and construct their identities. I think it is almost similar to how the people confuse with their local ethnic identity. This article explored how 30 students in a preservice teacher education frame their multilingual English.

Some parents proud of their children who have the ability to speak English fluently. Nonetheless, speaking English may affect negatively to national identities especially for Indonesia which has a lot of local languages. The learners and the teachers bring their multiple identities into the classroom. They probably speak Indonesia with English accent or the other way. However,  the writer said that national identities are continually constructed, reconstructed and transformed ongoing basis through and languages. English has a main role in constructing multilingual Indonesian identities as an international language.
This article will concern on MEU (multilingual English user). It means as the people who speak more than one language for communication purposes. They apply English in daily oral and written communication. The writer of this article wanted to know whether the MEUs are aware or not with their true identities because some theories said that the learners who gain more competence in the target language will have their identities questioned.
In fact, the result of this research said that the MEUs are fully aware of their identities. They attempted to find the bridge between their culture and native's culture so they can communicate with the way which can be accepted by others and themselves. From this point, the interaction between non-native speaker and native speaker have co-constructed the MEUs' identities. MEUs are also afraid of speaking English with native speakers since they think that they are a non-native speaker. There are the difference linguistic elements between Indonesia and English language. In addition, some of them realized their blood decline and tried to show the other people with the same local identities if they are part of them. They know that English may erode their true identities. Lastly, English should be used in the right place and situation. For instance, they only spoke English in the class but not outside the class. They are afraid of what people think about them. People will think they want to show off their English skill or they are too arrogant.
In conclusion, the MEUs actually know their identities and they don't leave them. Sometimes, they mix it but it does not lose the unique of their local identities. It is almost similar to what I felt. I have blood decline as Indo-Javanese but I lived in Indo-Sundanese environment. However, I am not able to speak both Javanese and Sundanese because I and my friends have used Indonesia as our language since we were so young. I always question myself whether I am a Javanese or Sundanese but the most obvious thing is I am an Indonesian. Therefore, I speak Indonesia as my first language and English as my foreign language.

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