The relations between language and ethnic identity as a research area have a long history and have drawn increasing attention from scholars with different interests and expertise.Having applied a data-driven approach and textual analysis,this study attempts to investigate the international literature (in English) published from 2010 till 2015 with the purpose of informing domestic researchers of the latest development in other languages and cultures.The study shows that the work of international researchers manifests a number of features including logistic cohesion in conceptualization,cognitive orientation,in addition to an interdisciplinary nature and methodological multiplicity.The fi ndings revealed in this study go beyond the interest in relationships between language and identity,language and psychological identity,language and multi-layered identity;their efforts extend to language style innovation and multiple identity as well.I attribute the findings to the following reasons:The awareness of identity compositions,the match of identifi cation and behavior,the integration,transformation and expression of multiple identities,and the formation of a pluralist epistemological view.This study concludes with the suggestion that the local researchers should hold a critical view of what has been achieved abroad,thereby furthering theoretical research through domestic collaboration and resource utilization.