Challenging the Monolingual Mindset (Multilingual Matters, 156) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1783092513 ISBN 13: 9781783092512

Verlag: Channel View Publications - IPSUK, 2014

Inhaltsangabe

This volume illustrates the distinctive and interconnected use of languages in increasingly diversified communities, examining a range of multilingual contexts, including post-migration settlement, language policy, education, language contact and intercultural communication. With contributions from researchers in Australia, Europe and Asia, the book discusses the opportunities and tensions that can emerge when societies attempt to manage and understand multilingual communication within and across communities. Reflecting the ideas of Professor Michael Clyne, the volume makes clear how ongoing research across a broad range of topics can assist in challenging the monolingual mindset by bringing to the attention of readers the rich linguistic diversity, as well as linguistic potential, of our communities around the world.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

John Hajek is Professor of Italian and Director of the Research Unit for Multilingualism and Cross-cultural Communication (RUMACCC) in the School of Languages and Linguistics at The University of Melbourne. He is also founding president of the Languages and Cultures Network for Australian Universities (LCNAU).

Yvette Slaughter is a Research Fellow in the Research Unit for Multilingualism and Cross- Cultural Communication (RUMACCC) in the School of Languages and Linguistics at The University of Melbourne. Her research interests include language policy, language education (policy and implementation), bilingual education and sociolinguistics.

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Challenging the Monolingual Mindset

By John Hajek, Yvette Slaughter

Multilingual Matters

Copyright © 2015 John Hajek, Yvette Slaughter and the authors of individual chapters
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-78309-251-2

Contents

Contributors, 
Acknowledgments, 
Introduction Yvette Slaughter and John Hajek, 
Part 1: Language Use and Policy in the International Context, 
1 English in Scandinavia: Monster or Mate? Sweden as a Case Study Catrin Norrby, 
2 Language in Singapore: From Multilingualism to English Plus Francesco Cavallaro and Ng Bee Chin, 
3 English as an International Language: A Multilingual and Pluricentric Perspective Farzad Sharifian, 
4 German or Swiss? Address and Other Routinised Formulas in German-speaking Switzerland Doris Schüpbach, 
5 Meet and Greet: Nominal Address and Introductions in Intercultural Communication at International Conferences Heinz Kretzenbacher, Michael Clyne, John Hajek, Catrin Norrby and Jane Warren, 
Part 2: Immigrant Languages in Australia: Understanding and Advancing Multilingualism, 
6 L1 and L2 Chinese, German and Spanish Speakers in Action: Stancetaking in Intergenerational and Intercultural Encounters Marisa Cordella and Hui Huang, 
7 Linguistic Diversity and Early Language Maintenance Efforts in a Recent Migrant Community in Australia: Sudanese Languages, their Speakers and the Challenge of Engagement Simon Musgrave and John Hajek, 
8 Language Maintenance and Sociolinguistic Continuity among Two Groups of First-generation Speakers: Macedonians from Aegean Macedonia and the Republic of Macedonia Jim Hlavac, 
9 The Role of Professional Advice in Shaping Language Choice in Migrant-background Families with Deaf Children Louisa Willoughby, 
Part 3: Language Policy and Education as Tools for Change in Australia, 
10 Losing Bilingualism While Promoting Second Language Acquisition in Australian Language Policy Howard Nicholas, 
11 Mainstreaming of Italian in Australian Schools: The Paradox of Success? Yvette Slaughter and John Hajek, 
12 Understanding the Role of Professional Development and Influences on Teacher Practice: An Australian Case Study of Community Languages Teachers Margaret Gearon, 
13 'A Somewhat Disconcerting Truth': The Perils of Monolingualism as Seen Through the Early Years of the RAAF School of Languages Colin Nettelbeck, 
14 'Die Erfüllung eines Traums': Challenging the Monolingual Mindset Through the Establishment of an Early Immersion Language Programme Averil Grieve, 
Index, 

CHAPTER 1

English in Scandinavia: Monster or Mate? Sweden as a Case Study

Catrin Norrby

Introduction

When Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel recently became parents, the prince explained his feelings at a press conference, hours after their daughter was born, with the following words (cited from Svenska Dagbladet, 23 February 2012): Mina känslor är lite all over the place. När jag gick från rummet så låg den lilla prinsessan på sin moders bröst och såg ut att ha det väldigt mysigt

[My feelings are a bit all over the place. When I left the room the little princess was lying on her mother's breast and seemed to be very cosy]

The use of English catchphrases and idioms in an otherwise Swedish language frame is not unusual and it is no exaggeration to say that English plays a significant role in contemporary Scandinavia. The following areas of use at least can be distinguished: (1) English taught as a school subject; (2) English used as a lingua franca; (3) English in certain domains; (4) English as an act of identity; and (5) English in the linguistic landscape.

The term 'Scandinavia' is used in this chapter as shorthand for Denmark, Norway and Sweden (where Scandinavian languages are spoken) as well as for Finland (which is part of the Scandinavian peninsula together with Sweden and Norway). English is taught as a mandatory subject in schools throughout Scandinavia, usually from Grade 3 or 4, meaning that school leavers normally have 9–10 years of English teaching. In recent years there has been an increase of CLIL (content and language integrated learning), where content subjects are taught in English (see, for example, Washburn, 1997). The availability of English instruction throughout the education system is a prerequisite for the generally high level of proficiency in English among Scandinavians (see below).

English is used as a lingua franca by Scandinavians for communication not only in international contexts but also nationally, as well as for inter-Scandinavian communication. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish are often taken as examples of mutually intelligible languages, enabling speakers to use their native language in communication with their neighbours, sometimes referred to as semicommunication (Haugen, 1972). Recent studies, however, indicate that mutual intelligibility might be diminishing, as adolescents generally understand English better, and also display poorer understanding of the neighbour languages compared to their parents (Delsing & Lundin Åkesson, 2005). Turning to the national level, English is also used for communication within many domains, in particular in research and higher education, business and large companies, as well as in popular culture and advertising. In this chapter, the focus is on the domains of research and higher education.

In Scandinavia, code-switching between a national language and English is a phenomenon which has been particularly observed in young people's discourse. For example, Sharp (2001) found on average one code-switch to English per minute among Swedish youths. Most of these code-switches were unintegrated English language material in an otherwise Swedish frame, and were often made up of phrases from films, songs, advertising, and so on. Sharp (2001: 117) refers to these switches as 'the quoting game', where the speakers flag the shift to English by a change of voice quality or laughter. In other words, these code-switches can be interpreted as an act of identity where the speaker appeals to shared knowledge of global trends and in-group commonalities (see also Preisler, 2003 for similar results in a Danish context).

English in the linguistic landscape refers to the documentation of visible signs of English language use in a society, e.g. linguistic objects such as signs in the streets, in shops and service institutions. An important underpinning of linguistic landscaping is the understanding that public spaces are symbolically constructed by linguistic means (Ben- Rafael et al., 2010). In this chapter, we explore the extent of English presence in a large shopping mall in downtown Stockholm.

The points above are not discrete but overlapping categories. For example, use of English as a lingua franca clearly overlaps with its use in certain domains, and English as an act of identity encompasses not only spontaneous use in interaction: its use in the linguistic landscape can also often be interpreted as promoting a certain identity. Furthermore, the various points refer to practices at different levels in society. Some can best be described as forces from above (e.g. English in the education system, and in the domains of business or research) whereas others pertain to forces from below, at the grass-roots level (e.g. in private interactions, use in certain subcultures and music scenes). It has been argued that this combination of movements from both above and below accounts for the...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Channel View Publications - IPSUK
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2014
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1783092513
• ISBN 13: 9781783092512
• Einband: Gebundene Ausgabe
• Anzahl der Seiten: 272
• Herausgeber: Hajek John, Slaughter Yvette
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: GPSR Kontakt; gpsr@libri.de; ; Friedensallee 273; Hamburg; 22763; Deutschland