ABSTRACT
Despite the increasing attention to the issue of language and identity among immigrant students, few studies have discussed heritage language (HL) use, social belonging, and identity construction of 1.5-generation students in relation to their complex migration experiences and social status. This 2-year sociolinguistic ethnographic research investigates how two 1.5-generation Korean-American college students make sense of self and HL practices in diverse social contexts. Qualitative data, including interviews and text message exchanges with family and friends, were collected to examine how the participants employed different cultural resources and linguistic capitals to construct their identities. The study reveals the students’ distinctive ways of understanding Koreanness, gaining access to the Korean community and peer groups, and developing ethnic identities and social belonging. It calls for more systematic and holistic approaches to supporting 1.5-generation students’ linguistic and cultural investment and understanding their cultural and social diversities.
