Myth and Reality in Learning Vietnamese at a China’s Border University

Abstract

With the implementation of Belt and Road Initiative and the cooperation between China and non-Anglophone countries, less commonly taught foreign languages (LCTFL) have been valorized at many Chinese universities particularly at China’s border provinces. Adopting Spolsky’s language policy as a theoretical framework, this study examines language learning experiences of Vietnamese majors at a China’s border province. Based on a longitudinal ethnography between October 2022 and March 2023, data were collected from semi-structured interviews with Chinese undergraduates and postgraduates majoring in Vietnamese, classroom observation, field notes and relevant written documents. Findings show that learning Vietnamese language has been discursively promoted as potential for educational upward mobility and employment project at institutional level. However, a close examination of Vietnamese majors’ experiences indicates that there are a series of inconsistencies between what is discursively promoted and what is actually practiced. The ideological interplay of learning Vietnamese between institutional promises and individual practices has been unpacked in relation to social, economic and cultural factors. This study can shed lights on language policy and planning for creating a better understanding of learning and teaching LCTFL in China’s border provinces.