This chapter outlines some fruitful developments in mainland Chinese (MC) migration to Malaysia and other parts of the world with two promising areas of research: (1) a two-generation shifting model with respect to language and identity; and (2) the choice of in-group or out-group and beyond. The second-generation model depicts the findings regarding young MC migrants in KL and Selangor who are shifting away from Putonghua to English. While their welfare and education are the main reasons why their parents migrated to Malaysia in the first place, there is no guarantee of hope or freedom for these young MC generations in Malaysia due to the difficulties in obtaining permanent residency, let alone citizenship. This second-generation MC community, who neither speak good Putonghua nor feel attached to China and who have no secured future in their current host country, may have to remigrate. An Anglosphere country with which they can identify and where they can be fully accepted by the host society could be the next target of migration. Moreover, while some MC migrants have tried to conform to local values and are more concerned about integration and social inclusion, many have moved their experiences in China to the new country and imposed PRC ideologies and standards in their new place of residence. The present study goes beyond the description of an unstudied/understudied research site (Malaysia) or phenomenon (new MC migration) to contribute to the literature on migration and identity in multilingual urban spaces. This could be salient for advancing future studies and theories advocating critical sociolinguistic research on (Chinese) transnational migration, migration policies, and politics of language and identity.

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Concluding Remarks

  • Seong Lin Ding,
  • Rui Li

摘要

This chapter outlines some fruitful developments in mainland Chinese (MC) migration to Malaysia and other parts of the world with two promising areas of research: (1) a two-generation shifting model with respect to language and identity; and (2) the choice of in-group or out-group and beyond. The second-generation model depicts the findings regarding young MC migrants in KL and Selangor who are shifting away from Putonghua to English. While their welfare and education are the main reasons why their parents migrated to Malaysia in the first place, there is no guarantee of hope or freedom for these young MC generations in Malaysia due to the difficulties in obtaining permanent residency, let alone citizenship. This second-generation MC community, who neither speak good Putonghua nor feel attached to China and who have no secured future in their current host country, may have to remigrate. An Anglosphere country with which they can identify and where they can be fully accepted by the host society could be the next target of migration. Moreover, while some MC migrants have tried to conform to local values and are more concerned about integration and social inclusion, many have moved their experiences in China to the new country and imposed PRC ideologies and standards in their new place of residence. The present study goes beyond the description of an unstudied/understudied research site (Malaysia) or phenomenon (new MC migration) to contribute to the literature on migration and identity in multilingual urban spaces. This could be salient for advancing future studies and theories advocating critical sociolinguistic research on (Chinese) transnational migration, migration policies, and politics of language and identity.