The article proposes a framework for analyzing identity as produced in linguistic interaction, based on five principles. Identity is not a stable structure located primarily in the individual psyche or fixed social categories, but a social and cultural phenomenon that emerges and circulates in local discourse contexts. It is relational, constructed through the interaction between self and other, and may be intentional, habitual, or a result of interactional negotiation. Identity is also shaped by others' perceptions and larger ideological processes. The first principle, emergence, argues that identity is not pre-existing but emerges through interaction. This is illustrated through examples of transgender individuals and ethnic boundary crossing, where language use challenges social categories. The second principle, positionality, emphasizes that identity includes macro-level categories, local cultural positions, and temporary interactional roles. Examples from interviews with teenage girls show how they position themselves through language use. The third principle, indexicality, highlights how identity is constructed through linguistic forms that are tied to social meanings. This includes the use of labels, implicatures, and linguistic structures that are ideologically associated with specific personas. Examples show how language use can signal identity, such as the use of quotative forms by teenagers. The fourth principle, relationality, emphasizes that identity is constructed through relationships such as similarity/difference, genuineness/artifice, and authority/delegitimacy. These relationships are not mutually exclusive but often overlap in identity construction. The fifth principle, adequation and distinction, describes how identities are positioned as similar or different. Adequation involves positioning others as sufficiently similar for a given purpose, while distinction involves highlighting differences. These processes are illustrated through examples of political rhetoric and linguistic use in marketplaces. The article argues that identity is not a fixed or internal psychological phenomenon but a socially constructed and interactionally emergent process. It is shaped by discourse, language, and cultural contexts, and is influenced by ideological processes and social structures. Identity is therefore a dynamic and multifaceted phenomenon that is shaped through interaction and discourse.The article proposes a framework for analyzing identity as produced in linguistic interaction, based on five principles. Identity is not a stable structure located primarily in the individual psyche or fixed social categories, but a social and cultural phenomenon that emerges and circulates in local discourse contexts. It is relational, constructed through the interaction between self and other, and may be intentional, habitual, or a result of interactional negotiation. Identity is also shaped by others' perceptions and larger ideological processes. The first principle, emergence, argues that identity is not pre-existing but emerges through interaction. This is illustrated through examples of transgender individuals and ethnic boundary crossing, where language use challenges social categories. The second principle, positionality, emphasizes that identity includes macro-level categories, local cultural positions, and temporary interactional roles. Examples from interviews with teenage girls show how they position themselves through language use. The third principle, indexicality, highlights how identity is constructed through linguistic forms that are tied to social meanings. This includes the use of labels, implicatures, and linguistic structures that are ideologically associated with specific personas. Examples show how language use can signal identity, such as the use of quotative forms by teenagers. The fourth principle, relationality, emphasizes that identity is constructed through relationships such as similarity/difference, genuineness/artifice, and authority/delegitimacy. These relationships are not mutually exclusive but often overlap in identity construction. The fifth principle, adequation and distinction, describes how identities are positioned as similar or different. Adequation involves positioning others as sufficiently similar for a given purpose, while distinction involves highlighting differences. These processes are illustrated through examples of political rhetoric and linguistic use in marketplaces. The article argues that identity is not a fixed or internal psychological phenomenon but a socially constructed and interactionally emergent process. It is shaped by discourse, language, and cultural contexts, and is influenced by ideological processes and social structures. Identity is therefore a dynamic and multifaceted phenomenon that is shaped through interaction and discourse.