Abstract

Identity negotiation has been studied as an important aspect of second language (L2) learning especially within Darvin and Norton’s (2016) expanded model of investment which help describe sites of conflict amongst identity, ideology and capital of both the learner and the communities they encounter which include digital spaces. While studies about L2 online identity negotiation have used this model to study how L2 speakers negotiate identity as learners, there is a need to study L2 speakers who present themselves in the digital space outside of the label L2 learner. In this study I interview two social media influencers who described their journey through identity negotiation on social media platforms. Both participants described various points of conflict that were consistent with how identity negotiation functions in Darvin and Norton’s expanded model of identity in order to position themselves as legitimate speakers in their context as social media influencers. The results from this study affirm the ways social media allows a place for L2 speakers to use their language outside of the L2 or L2 learner identity