Abstract
Identity is assumed to be a discursive construct, often showing a close connection to notions of ethnicity and language. In this paper, we investigate the identity construction of three young Italians living in Vienna. We examine which factors contribute to their (non-)identification with Italy and Austria with a special regard to language. Embedded in the framework of language biographical research and drawing on aspects of Critical Discourse Analysis we analyze three individual interviews along with language portraits and one group interview with the same three participants. Contrary to our prior assumptions, our analysis shows that all three participants unambiguously identify as Italian. Their identification is characterized by an essentialism that closely connects the concepts of identity, language, and ethnicity