The Psychological Role of the Borrowed Word "Insecure" in Shaping Classroom Engagement among Young EFL Learners

Abstract

Lexical borrowing has become a common phenomenon in English language learning. However, its psychological influence on young EFL learners remains underexplored, particularly regarding how borrowed words may relate to classroom engagement. Previous studies have examined lexical borrowing from linguistic and cognitive perspectives; however, little attention has been paid to its psychological and pedagogical implications in elementary school contexts. This study investigates students’ awareness of the borrowed word insecure and its role in shaping classroom engagement at MI Khadijah Malang. Employing a qualitative case study approach, the research involved 21 students from Grades Four, Five, and Six. Data were collected through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that students demonstrated different levels of awareness of the borrowed word insecure, with their understanding developing through exposure to English instruction, social media, peer interaction, and other everyday social environments. Students interpreted the term not only as an expression of low self-confidence but also as a reflection of academic comparison, anxiety, and self-improvement. Furthermore, the borrowed word was internalized in three distinct ways: as a source of motivation, as a form of self-doubt, and as having limited psychological influence. Interview and observation data showed that some students who associated insecure with self-improvement became more motivated, increased their learning effort, or developed new learning strategies, such as learning through songs, increasing vocabulary exposure, and using language-learning applications. In contrast, some students who compared themselves with higher-achieving peers experienced self-doubt and showed reduced participation or motivation, while others reported little influence from the term and maintained stable classroom participation. These different interpretations were associated with varying patterns of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement in the English classroom. The study concludes that the relationship between the borrowed word insecure and classroom engagement is not uniform but varies according to how learners internalize and relate its meaning to their academic experiences and social interactions. By integrating lexical borrowing with learner engagement theory, this study demonstrates that borrowed words may function not only as linguistic resources but also as psychological labels that are associated with learners’ engagement in English language learning.