ABSTRACT
This study examines the motivation and attitudes of multilingual learners in Catalonia, Spain, toward learning Modern Greek as a Foreign Language. Understanding why students choose to study Languages Other Than English (LOTEs) in diverse contexts offers a valuable lens into language learning motivation, as these choices often reflect intrinsic interest, identity positioning, cultural affinity, and ideological positioning, which are factors that extend beyond the instrumental motivation typically associated with global languages such as English. The participants (n = 20) were adult multilingual learners at a language school in Barcelona, Spain, with Catalan and Spanish as their first languages. Data from individual, semi-structured interviews were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), drawing on theoretical frameworks from Positive Psychology—specifically Seligman’s PERMA model—and Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS). The findings revealed that the L2 learning experience, characterized by positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment, was a key motivational factor for participants. Participants also perceived a connection between Modern Greek and their native Catalan, a minority language in both the European and Spanish contexts. Some learners also embodied an anti-ought-to-self, as their motivation was self-determined and ran counter to external societal pressures that emphasize the utilitarian value of language learning. The ideal multilingual self was also identified as an important source of motivation.
