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Email this article ADAPTATION OF LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES AMONG HYPERPOLYGLOTS: THE ROLE OF SOCIOCULTURAL CONTEXTS AND RESOURCES
(1) University of Essex, United Kingdom
(*) Corresponding Author
Abstract
This study investigates how hyperpolyglots—individuals proficient in six or more languages—adapt their language learning strategies in response to sociocultural contexts and resource availability. Using a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design, the research draws on in-depth interviews and an adapted Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) questionnaire completed by 30 hyperpolyglots from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Thematic analysis revealed five key findings: strategic flexibility across sociocultural contexts, the central role of social interaction as a motivational and practical scaffold, creative innovation in resource-scarce environments, language-specific strategy differentiation, and integrative, metacognitive planning. These findings extend previous models of strategy use by foregrounding the role of culture, community, and learner-generated tools in multilingual success. This study contributes to sociocultural theory in applied linguistics by highlighting how real-world conditions and interactions shape strategy selection and effectiveness.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.24071/llt.v28i1.11461
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