Precerpt from My 20th Language: Conative Variables (Leaver)
The Role of Conative Variables in Language Learning Textbooks often divide language learning motivation into tidy categories: intrinsic vs. extrinsic , integrative vs. instrumental , short-term vs. long-term , self-efficacy vs. obligation . The reality, however, is rarely that neat. Over a lifetime of learning—and in some cases, mastering—languages, I’ve found that my motivations were layered, situational, and constantly shifting. The umbrella term for this drive is conative values —the will, persistence, and personal disposition that push us forward. Conative values are not fixed; they vary by language, by life stage, and by circumstance. My own language history makes this point vividly. When I was nine, I learned Latin not because it was on any school curriculum, but because my father knew it, wanted to teach it to me, and it gave me precious time with him. My conative value here wasn’t academic ambition—it was connection. Learning Latin became a way to share his world. At twe...