Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984.

published_or_final_version / Language Studies / Master / Master of Arts

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984. / Also available in print.

This research is a case study which sought to investigate the educational implication of code switching in a multilingual school in Matatiele. Since the dawn of democracy in South Africa, the language policy has sought to promote multilingualism and also honours the cultural diversity existing in this country. It is against this background that the study was conducted. The present study also sought to investigate the occurrences and nature of code switching in the classroom context. In South Africa, the Language in Education Policy prescribes that English as Language of Learning and Teaching be practiced from Grade 4 upwards, alongside home languages. At school, it seems that teachers are not empowered regarding the approach towards code switching. The study investigates whether the use of code switching in a classroom context is in line with the Language in Education Policy. It also looks at the implications of trilingual instruction (which is the use of three languages) in content subjects in the classroom. Functions of code switching were examined as well. This empirical research study used qualitative research methods. Qualitative research provided the study with insight into code switching in the educational context. This study encompassed specific techniques for collecting data, mainly observations. Notes were also of some assistance and were jotted down while observation was underway to supplement what could not be captured by the video, such as emotion and feelings. The study concluded that code switching plays a significant role in an English as Second Language (ESL) classroom context. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M. A. (Linguistics)

Grâce à une observation ethnographique menée durant trois ans sur trois terrains d’étude différents (une agence d’architecture, une organisation intergouvernementale et un réseau social professionnel), et à partir d’une approche inspirée de l’analyse conversationnelle (Schegloff, Jefferson et Sacks, 1974)d’inspiration ethnométhodologique (Garfinkel, 1967), notre recherche vise à repérer les « méthodes » qu’utilisent les membres afin de se coordonner dans la résolution des problèmes, dans la prise de décision et dans la co-élaboration des solutions professionnelles en mobilisant pour ce faire plusieurs ressources langagières.Lorsque l’on parle de « plurilinguisme » en milieu professionnel, la question sur ses conséquences en tant que ressource ou obstacle est souvent posée. Loin de considérer la diversité linguistique comme un phénomène pré-existant à l’interaction dans des espaces professionnels internationaux, nous essayerons d’approcher cette « diversité » à partir d’une perspective analytique endogène. C’est pourquoi dans le cadre du projet européen Dynamiques des Langues et Gestion de la diversité (DYLAN), la présente thèse s’intéresse avant tout au caractère contraignant ou non du plurilinguisme pour l’accomplissement d’une activité. À cet égard, nous étudierons la manière dont les acteurs sociaux se servent des ressources langagières plurilingues pour organiser leurs actions (Mondada, 2007) et participer chacun à sa manière aux activités communicatives et traiter par là même des difficultés dues à l’utilisation d’une langue. C’est en tenant compte des limites de la dichotomie ressource ou obstacle que nous décrirons comment le plurilinguisme est une pratique ajustée aux contingences de la situation communicative d’où elle émerge.Nous nous intéressons particulièrement à l’analyse des événements de la parole où la co-existence de plusieurs « répertoires verbaux » (Gumperz, 1964) apparaît, soit comme un ensemble de ressources conversationnelles utilisées dans leur continuité linguistique, soit comme un problème résolu localement pour la progression de la communication. Dans cette thèse, nous avons identifié deux configurations principales du plurilinguisme en situation de travail. Il s’agit d’une hétérogénéité des répertoires verbaux constituée en objet du discours et exploitée par les participants dans la résolution des problèmes communicatifs. Cette hétérogénéité exhibée par les membres eux-mêmes est observable dans des séquences de thématisation du choix linguistique, dans des séquences de recherche de mots (Goodwin et Goodwin,1986) et dans des séquences de réparation (Schegloff, Jefferson et Sacks, 1977). Il s’agit aussi d’une hétérogénéité ignorant toute structuration du répertoire concerné en langues. Cela a été reconnu au sein des séquences de désaccord ou de désalignement (Stivers, 2008) et dans des séquences insérées dans des formats spécifiques de participation (Goffman, 1963, 1981) où les ressources plurilingues ne sont pas thématisées,mais bien mises à la contribution de l’accomplissement pratique de l’activité. / Based on a three-year ethnographic study in several multilingual professional settings (an architecture firm, an intergovernmental organization and a professional social network) with an approach grounded in ethnomethodologically-inspired conversational analysis (CA) studies (Garfinkel, 1967;Schegloff, Jefferson and Sacks, 1974), our research seeks to discern the methods used by members incoordinating their actions to resolve problems, making decisions, and co-elaborating professional solutions,all with the help of a variety of linguistic resources.When we speak of “multilingualism” in the professional setting, the question of its consequences as a resource or obstacle is often posed. Rather than considering linguistic diversity as a phenomenon that preexists interaction in international professional settings, we will attempt to approach this “diversity” from an endogenous analytical perspective. In the framework of the European project Language Dynamics and Management of Diversity (DYLAN), this dissertation is therefore interested above all in the constraining versus non-constraining character of multilingualism in the accomplishment of an activity. In this respect, we will study the way in which social actors use multilingual language resources to organize their actions(Mondada, 2007), participate in their own manner in communicative activities, and treat difficulties linkedwith the use of a language in this very way. By taking into account limits of the resource or obstacle dichotomy, we will describe how multilingualism is a practice adjusted to the contingencies of the communicative situation from which it emerges.We are particularly interested in analyzing speech events featuring the coexistence of several “verbalrepertoires” (Gumperz, 1964), either as a group of conversational resources used in their linguisticcontinuity, or as a problem resolved locally by the progression of communication. In this dissertation, we have identified two main configurations of multilingualism in the workplace. This entails heterogeneity inverbal repertoires represented in an object of discourse and used by participants in the resolution of communicative problems. This heterogeneity displayed by the members themselves is observable inlinguistic choice topicalization sequences, word search sequences (Goodwin and Goodwin, 1986), and repair sequences (Schegloff, Jefferson and Sacks, 1977). This also entails heterogeneity that disregards all repertoire structuring concerned in languages. This has been recognized within disagreement or disalignmentsequences (Stivers, 2008) and in sequences inserted into specific formats of participation (Goffman, 1963,1981), in which multilingual resources are not topicalized, but rather, contribute to the practical accomplishment of the activity.

Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, zu untersuchen, in welchem Spannungsverhältnis der Schutz der sprachlichen Vielfalt zur kommunikativen und zur Kosteneffizienz in den Institutionen der EU steht, und welche Rolle die SprachmittlerInnen dabei spielen. Wie der Rechtswissenschaftler Thomas Bruha (1998: 96) feststellt, ist Mehrsprachigkeit in der EU „zugleich Kommunikationsbarriere und Wert der Gemeinschaft“; sie ist sowohl Ausdruck der kulturellen Vielfalt der Union als auch „unverzichtbares Erfordernis ihrer demokratisch-rechtsstaatlichen Legitimation“ (ebd.). Als die Europäische Gemeinschaft für Kohle und Stahl, der frühe Vorläufer der Europäischen Union, im Jahr 1952 gegründet wurde, gab es vier offizielle Amtssprachen (Deutsch, Französisch, Italienisch, Niederländisch). Es steht außer Frage, dass mit den Erweiterungsrunden und dem Hinzukommen von insgesamt 20 neuen Sprachen ein steigender logistischer, finanzieller und organisatorischer Aufwand im Bereich des Übersetzens und Dolmetschens einhergegangen ist. Wie sind die Sprachmittlungsdienste heute aufgestellt? Welche Herausforderungen haben die Erweiterungen mit sich gebracht und wie begegnet ihnen die EU? Welche Entwicklungstendenzen und Lösungsansätze gibt es hinsichtlich der Sprachenfrage? Hat die Mehrsprachigkeit bei der Europäischen Union eine Zukunft oder wird sie letztlich zugunsten einer einzigen gemeinsamen Institutionssprache (z.B. des Englischen) weichen? Ist das Englische also möglicherweise die Lösung für das Sprachenproblem bei der Europäischen Union oder stellt es im Gegenteil eine Bedrohung für die europäische Sprachenvielfalt dar?

This study investigates the possibilities of incorporating African languages in skills development and training in South Africa as part of functional multilingualism. This investigation is done in relation to the Skills Development Act (Act No.97 of 1998) promulgated by the South African government, through parliament in order to address skills shortage among workers in South Africa the majority of whom are black whose education and training needs can be more effectively addressed through mother-tongue instruction than through English or Afrikaans. A literature review of global trends in skills-development initiatives and strategies indicates that the use of indigenous languages in skills development ensures success in skills transference and also enhances language development and language promotion. Empirical research was done in the mining and minerals industry at Beatrix Gold Mine, Free State. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

combining approaches to family language policy with a language socialization approach, the present thesis examines family interoctions in five bi/multilingual lronian families in Sweden. The foci of the thesis have emerged from viewing and analyzing video-recordings of the families' everyday interactions, interviews and observations conducted during two phases of fieldwork. The thesis explores family - parents' and children's - language practices and the ways they contribute to the construction, negotiation and instantiation of family language policies. Considering children's active role in family interactions, it explores parents' heritage language maintenance practices and children's responses to these practices. In addition, the thesis examinas siblings' contribution to familial language choices and practices. The thesis documents parental strategies aimed at heritage language maintenance and children's bi/multilingual development. Recurrent interactional practices - through which parents attempted to enforce a monolingual, heritage language, context for parent-child interactions - were explored (Study Il. Through such exchanges the parents positioned themselves as "experts", insisting on the child's compliance, whereas the child's (affectively aggravated) resistance was frequent, and the parents recurrently accommodated the child's language choices by terminating language instruction. Such language maintenance strategies at times resulted in explicit and implicit language negotiations, and the child's growing resistance cantributed to changes in parents' language practices over time (Study Il). Siblings' contribution to shaping the language practices and language environment of immigrant families was explored in Study 111. It shows that siblings corrected each other's language use and choices and provided language instruction (in Swedish, English and heritage languages) when language-related problems occurred. By predominantly using swedish, siblings contributed to language shift. The thesis shows how family members' language practices contribute to heritage language maintenance or language shift and to shaping family language policies. / Denna avhandling använder och kombinerar språksocialisations- och språkpolicy-ansatser och undersöker återkommande samspelssituationer i fem flerspråkiga Iranska familjer i Sverige. Avhandlingens material är videoinspelningar av familjers vardagliga interaktioner, intervjuer och observationer insamlade under två perioder av datainsamling. I fokus för analyserna är familjers språkliga praktiker och hur föräldrar och barn etablerar eller förhandlar om familjers språkpolicy. Särskilt uppmärksammas barns aktiva roll i familjers interaktioner och det dynamiska samspelet mellan föräldrars försök att bevara hemspråket och barnens agerande och förhållningssätt. Vidare studeras syskonens roll i familjernas språkval och språkanvändning. Avhandlingen delstudier beskriver föräldrars strategier för att bevara hemspråken och för att bidra till barns flerspråkighet. Återkommande interaktionella praktiker som föräldrar använde för att upprätthålla en enspråkig hemspråkskontext för förälder-barn interaktioner beskrivs i studie I. Studien visar att barnet ofta gjorde motstånd mot föräldrars insisterande strategier. Motståndet resulterade i olika typer av explicita eller implicita förhandlingar. Barnens växande motstånd bidrog till att föräldrarna ändrade sina språkpraktiker över tid och delvis anpassade sig till barnens språkval (studie llJ. Syskonens bidrag till att utforma familjers språkliga praktiker undersöks i studie 111. Studien visar att syskon korrigerade varandras språkanvändning och språkval och initierade instruktioner på svenska, engelska och hemspråken när olika språkrelaterade problem uppkom. Syskonen använde svenska i stor utsträckning och bidrog på så sätt till språkskifte i familjerna.

Language is a tool for communication. Through language we build relationships, share and create experiences with other people. Furthermore, language is an essential part of our identity. Our society is multicultural and it means that many people in Sweden are multilingual. The views on multilingualism has not always been positive, they have changed over the years and research shows the benefits of being multilingual. The purpose of this study is to gain knowledge of how preschool is working with multilingual children to give them the same opportunities that monolingual children already have from start. In this study I have investigated the vision educators have on multilingualism and the way they work to promote the development of multilingual children. This is an important topic because multilingualism is increasing dramatically in our society. There are more and more multilingual preschool children. According to the preschool’s teaching programme (Lpfö98 rev2010), every child has the right to develop its mother tongue as well as the Swedish language. Every child should also be entitled to the same stimulating environment and the same conditions for development and learning. It should feel safe and natural to be himself. To carry out this study, I have used qualitative methods. It means that I have visited three preschools and interviewed three preschool teachers and one preschool director. In my study, I have concluded that the preschool teachers I interviewed think highly of multilingualism and on how to promote it. They are aware that they need different methods, but especially that they need to keep up with the scientific developments.

The aim of our study is to examine preschool teachers' attitudes to multilingualism in preschool, especially in relation to the preschool's internal environment. Our study is based on the socio-cultural perspective and consists of six interviews with pedagogues and observations at two preschools in different parts of Stockholm. We are certain of that our study is important for pedagogues, since a high proportion of children in Swedish preschools are multilingual. A high level of awareness and recurrent work to promote children’s multilingualism has tremendous importance for children's language development. The result of our study demonstrates that multilingualism is the norm in the preschools. Based on the interviews, we have seen that pedagogues are aware of the fact that both the children's home language and the Swedish language are equally important for children's language development. For children to develop good language skills in the Swedish language, it is important that the mother language is promoted and is a point of departure in preschool activities. Pedagogues, who constantly communicate with children, contribute to children's language development. Children must be offered ample opportunity for language use and interaction in different contexts. The study demonstrates that pedagogues consciously work with multilingualism, aiming for creating a language stimulating internal environment that encourages kids to play, learn and develop their language skills. Similar to a majority of pedagogues, we are certain that play has an important role for children's language development; because play is something pleasurable that often comes naturally and it is very important for children.