Multidimensional Analysis of Adult Second Language Learning in the Film English Vinglish: Theoretical Perspectives and Pedagogical Implications

Abstract

Grounded in the film English Vinglish, this study examines the multidimensional mechanisms of adult second language acquisition (SLA). Using the film as a cinematic case for qualitative SLA analysis and integrating core SLA paradigms including Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis, Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, and Long’s Interaction Hypothesis, this paper systematically examines Shashi’s linguistic development across four interrelated dimensions: cognitive mechanisms, affective factors, social interaction, and acculturation. The analysis suggests that adult SLA is not mere mechanical training, but a dynamic synergy of comprehensible input, low-anxiety climates, meaning negotiation, and identity reconstruction. Ultimately, this study translates these cinematic insights into valuable pedagogical implications for cultivating learner agency and affective security in language education.