Willingness to Communicate, Multilingualism and Interactions in Community Contexts

This book presents the findings of an in-depth qualitative longitudinal investigation into the willingness to communicate (WTC) of individuals who, through varying migration channels, left one cultural/linguistic context to make a new life in another. It examines communication behaviours and language choice in multilingual community contexts and emphasises how even the most trivial of communication events are embedded in histories of previous communication and are influenced by emotions connected with a person’s overall life situation. The book fills a gap in contemporary WTC research by examining how WTC operates in multilingual community contexts. Through the use of a complexity lens and the presentation of a revised 3D pyramid model, the authors demonstrate the dynamic nature of WTC and shed new light on processes that affect communication, migration and well-being. This book will be of interest to researchers seeking to explore individual differences using context sensitive and temporally focused designs.

This is an outstanding report of qualitative longitudinal case studies that illuminate L2/L3 WTC development in immigrant women. Momentary fluctuations in WTC are zoomed in on and then out to showcase stories embedded in macro-social contexts. The expansion of the WTC Model to multilingual 3D graphics is a stimulating addition to WTC literature., Using a longitudinal case study methodology, Henry and MacIntyre take us on a deep dive into their participants' stories of communication in out-of-school community settings. Our reward is a new understanding of WTC as a truly complex and probabilistic phenomenon, and a renewed appreciation of why we need Complex Dynamic Systems Theory to understand it., Based on a longitudinal study of immigrants in Sweden, Henry and MacIntyre propose a revised pyramid model of WTC which takes into account different languages learners may draw upon, as well as emphasizing the impact of situational demands and broader context. The book opens up new avenues in research on WTC and is a must-read for scholars interested in this ID variable.

Alastair Henry is Professor of Language Education at Lund University and at University West, Sweden. His research involves the psychology of language learning and teaching, with specific interests in motivation, multilingualism, teacher identities and professional development.Peter D. MacIntyre is Professor of Psychology at Cape Breton University, Canada. He has published over 100 articles, chapters and books within the field of psychology of language and communication and has received awards for teaching excellence (Atlantic Association of Universities), for contributions to the study of language (the Gardner Award and the Mildenberger Prize) and awards for service to students and the community.