Challenging assumptions about migrant language use: Evidence from a Swedish study with the Experience Sampling Method and the Lang-Track-App

Abstract In an era of global migration, where public discourse often assumes that migrants lack exposure to and command of local majority language(s), it is a crucial research task to understand how migrants learn and use new languages in their everyday lives. This study provides empirical evidence about the quantity and nature of everyday language exposure and use (LEU) among migrants in Sweden. Using the Experience Sampling Method and the Lang-Track-App, we collected rich self-report data across three weeks from 45 adult migrants with diverse backgrounds. Group-level quantitative analyses revealed that, despite considerable individual variation and occasional linguistic challenges, Swedish was the most used language across a broad range of self-reported daily activities. Complementary qualitative analysis of two cases illustrated the nuanced and fluctuating nature of LEU, which did not align predictably with structural factors such as employment, student status, or social networks. Instead, LEU appeared to emerge through dynamic interplay between individual agency and contextual affordances. These findings challenge prevailing narratives about migrants’ limited contact with the majority language and underscore the value of capturing LEU through temporally and contextually sensitive methods.