Bridging Tongues, Bridging Worlds: Multilingualism as a Narrative Lens in Zain Saeed’s Little America

Abstract

This study explores the role of multilingualism as a narrative tool in Zain Saeed’s Little America, examining the interplay of multiple languages that reflect the cultural displacement, identity formation, and adaptation of diasporic characters. Drawing on Postcolonial Theory, Translanguaging Theory, and Narrative Theory, the research investigates language functions as a site of negotiation, resistance, and belonging within the novel. Through qualitative discourse analysis, the study identifies key instances of code-switching, multilingual dialogue, and shifting linguistic registers that contribute to character development and thematic depth. By incorporating Homi Bhabha’s concept of hybridity, Mikhail Bakhtin’s heteroglossia, and contemporary translanguaging frameworks, the research highlights that multilingualism enhances the reader’s engagement with the complexities of migration and cultural hybridity. Findings suggest that the strategic use of multiple languages in Little America deepens the portrayal of psychological dislocation, enabling characters to navigate diasporic tensions and construct new identities. Moreover, the novel’s polyphonic narrative style invites readers to experience the linguistic and cultural fluidity of immigrant life, reinforcing the transformative power of language in shaping personal and collective identities. This study contributes to postcolonial studies, linguistics, and narrative analysis by illustrating multilingualism functions beyond mere representation—emerging as a narrative force that bridges culture and expands the literary imagination in contemporary diasporic fiction.

Keywords: Cultural displacement, Diaspora, Heteroglossia, Hybridity, Multilingualism, Narrative Theory, Postcolonial Theory, Translanguaging.