The aim of this study is to investigate how students think that sociolinguistic factors such as age, gender, social class, and ethnic identity affect their attitudes and motivation regarding English second language learning in the Swedish upper secondary school. A questionnaire consisting of both qualitative and quantitative questions has been distributed in order to examine students’ attitudes and motivation regarding English second language learning. The data was analysed using a hermeneutic approach. The results show that the influential factors were age, gender and ethnic identity, whereas most of the participants disagreed concerning the influence of one’s social class onlanguage learning. In examining the students’ motivation for English language learning it was found that the majority of the students have a positive attitude due to the status of English as a global language and the possibilities for future employment that a command of English entails. In conclusion, according to the students’ perspectives, sociolinguistic factors do impact on their attitudes and motivation regarding English second language learning at upper secondary school level.    Keywords: Second Language Acquisition, Second Language Learning, Sociolinguistic Factors, Attitude, Motivation

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to identify factors that affect the language choices and patterns of language use of multilingual speakers in the Western Cape, focusing particularly on emotional language. It is an exploratory study, taking a purely quantitative methodological approach. Data was collected by means of a web-based Multilingualism and Emotions Questionnaire available online for six months. The questionnaire was based on Dewaele and Pavlenko‟s Bilingualism and Emotions Questionnaire (see Pavlenko, 2005) and included multiple choice and Likert scale questions regarding participants‟ language use preferences, as well as their perceptions of each of their languages. Data analysis was split into two stages: firstly the response data was illustrated by means of frequency tables, and secondly the statistical method of Correspondence Analysis was used to show the patterns of variation among the factors investigated. Two hypotheses were proposed, based on previous research: firstly, that the sociolinguistic factors would play a bigger role than the socio-demographic factors in determining language choices and patterns of use, and secondly that there may be differences in patterns of use for speakers of African languages versus speakers of Western languages. The analysis confirmed both hypotheses, while also showing some deviation from the results of previous research, which is attributed to the context in which this study was conducted. The main findings of this study were that English was generally the preferred language even when not the L1, and also that Xhosa tended to follow an entirely different pattern of use in comparison with most other languages in the sample. These findings are attributed to the unique language contact situation in the Western Cape, showing that the widely accepted L1-primacy ideology does not quite hold true across all contexts. An English-bias in the implementation of the language and education policy is also identified as a possible contributing factor to the patterns of language use and language attitudes revealed in this study, hence it is suggested that methodological and practical changes to the language and education policy could lead to a realization of the true multilingual and multicultural potential of South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie handel oor die identifisering van faktore wat die taalgebruikspatrone en keuses van veeltaliges in die Wes-Kaap affekteer. Die fokus is hoofsaaklik op emosionele taalgebruik. Die studie is verkennend, en volg „n suiwer kwantitatiewe benadering. Data is ingesamel deur die gebruik van „n web-gebaseerde Veeltaligheid en Emosies Vraelys wat ongeveer ses maande op die internet beskikbaar was. Die vraelys is gebaseer op dié van Dewaele en Pavlenko (verwys na Pavlenko, 2005) en sluit in veelvoudigekeuse- en Likertskaal-vrae oor die deelnemers se taalgebruik keuses asook hul taal-persepsies. Data-analise is in twee verskillende fases voltooi: eerstens is die data deur die gebruik van frekwensie tabelle geïllustreer, en tweedens is die patrone van variasie onder die faktore getoon deur die gebruik van die statistiese metode van Korrespondensie Ontleding. Twee hipoteses is voorgestel, gebaseer op vorige navorsing; eerstens, dat sosiolinguistiese faktore „n groter rol as sosio-demografiese faktore sou speel in die bepaling van taal-keuses en gebruikpatrone; en tweedens dat daar dalk verskille sou wees tussen Afrika-taal sprekers en Westerse-taal sprekers in verband met patrone van taalgebruik. Beide van die hipoteses is deur die analise bevestig, terwyl daar ook afwyking was van die bevindings van vorige navorsing, waarvoor die konteks waarin hierdie studie plaasvind as rede voorgestel is. Die studie se hoofbevindings dui daarop dat Engels oor die algemeen die voorgekeurde taal is, selfs wanneer dit nie die eerstetaal is nie, en ook dat Xhosa „n gebruikspatroon volg wat van die ander tale in die studie verskil. Hierdie bevindings word toegeskryf aan die uniekheid van die taal-kontak situasie in die Wes-Kaap, en dui daarop dat die algemeen aanvaarde ideologie van die eerste-taal-voorrang nie noodwendig van toepassing is op alle kontekste nie. „n Vooroordeel ten gunste van Engels in die implementering van die taal- en onderwysbeleid word ook uitgewys as „n moontlike bydraende faktor tot die patrone van taalgebruik en taalhoudings wat in hierdie studie ontdek is. Daar word gevolglik voorgestel dat metodologiese- en praktiese- veranderinge aan die taal- en onderwysbeleid groot bydrae sal kan lewer tot die vervulling van Suid-Afrika se volle veeltalige en multikulturele potensiaal.

A proposta desta dissertação é analisar as questões de gênero da língua hebraica, atentando para o problema de representação e uso de termos conhecidos como zarrar unekevá diante das configurações da flexão de gênero. Lexicógrafos, gramáticos e estudiosos do hebraico, em geral, tendem a divergir entre si quando tratam do assunto tanto na conceituação quanto na classificação lexical, além do uso. A partir deste fato, que funciona como mola propulsora de nosso trabalho, organizamos uma pesquisa centrada na questão da possibilidade ou da impossibilidade de representação dos termos zarrar unekevá levantados desde os primeiros textos da Mikrá (texto bíblico) até os dias atuais. Pretendemos, a partir dos conceitos de gênero e da estratificação lingüística do hebraico, localizar esses questionamentos e apresentar alguns apontamentos para a discussão sobre a natureza de nosso tema e seu desenvolvimento através de fatores sociolingüísticos e das decisões levadas a cabo por via de autoridades gramaticais e lexicógrafas. Para isso, coletamos e analisamos dados desde o hebraico bíblico até os dias atuais. Por fim, desejamos, através dos dados atuais da língua hebraica, apresentar nossas reflexões e apontar possíveis tendências no uso dos termos zarrar unekevá, que se tornam mais fascinantes quanto mais são investigados. / The aim of this dissertation is to analyze gender questions in the Hebraic language considering the representation issue and the use of the terms known as zarrar unekevá in relation to the configurations of gender inflection. Lexicographers, grammarians and specialists in Hebrew, in general, tend to diverge when they deal with the matter, not only with regard to the conceptualization but also the lexical classification and use. Having this difficulty of categorization as a starting point for our study, we organized a research centered on the possibility or impossibility of the representation of the terms zarrar unekevá gathered from the first texts of the Mikrá (biblical text) to the current days. Considering gender concepts and the Hebrew linguistic stratification, we intended to locate these questionings and present some notes for the discussion on the nature of our theme and its development through sociolinguistic factors and decisions made by means of expert authority. For our purposes, we collected and analyzed data from the biblical to the present Hebrew. Finally, based on the current data of the Hebraic language, we presented our reflections and pointed out possible tendencies in the use of the terms zarrar unekevá, which become more fascinating the more they are investigated.

A proposta desta dissertação é analisar as questões de gênero da língua hebraica, atentando para o problema de representação e uso de termos conhecidos como zarrar unekevá diante das configurações da flexão de gênero. Lexicógrafos, gramáticos e estudiosos do hebraico, em geral, tendem a divergir entre si quando tratam do assunto tanto na conceituação quanto na classificação lexical, além do uso. A partir deste fato, que funciona como mola propulsora de nosso trabalho, organizamos uma pesquisa centrada na questão da possibilidade ou da impossibilidade de representação dos termos zarrar unekevá levantados desde os primeiros textos da Mikrá (texto bíblico) até os dias atuais. Pretendemos, a partir dos conceitos de gênero e da estratificação lingüística do hebraico, localizar esses questionamentos e apresentar alguns apontamentos para a discussão sobre a natureza de nosso tema e seu desenvolvimento através de fatores sociolingüísticos e das decisões levadas a cabo por via de autoridades gramaticais e lexicógrafas. Para isso, coletamos e analisamos dados desde o hebraico bíblico até os dias atuais. Por fim, desejamos, através dos dados atuais da língua hebraica, apresentar nossas reflexões e apontar possíveis tendências no uso dos termos zarrar unekevá, que se tornam mais fascinantes quanto mais são investigados. / The aim of this dissertation is to analyze gender questions in the Hebraic language considering the representation issue and the use of the terms known as zarrar unekevá in relation to the configurations of gender inflection. Lexicographers, grammarians and specialists in Hebrew, in general, tend to diverge when they deal with the matter, not only with regard to the conceptualization but also the lexical classification and use. Having this difficulty of categorization as a starting point for our study, we organized a research centered on the possibility or impossibility of the representation of the terms zarrar unekevá gathered from the first texts of the Mikrá (biblical text) to the current days. Considering gender concepts and the Hebrew linguistic stratification, we intended to locate these questionings and present some notes for the discussion on the nature of our theme and its development through sociolinguistic factors and decisions made by means of expert authority. For our purposes, we collected and analyzed data from the biblical to the present Hebrew. Finally, based on the current data of the Hebraic language, we presented our reflections and pointed out possible tendencies in the use of the terms zarrar unekevá, which become more fascinating the more they are investigated.