Multiple language usage and foreign language learning in minorities: Albanian, Czech and Hungarian in Croatia

master's thesis

• Author: Petra Karabin
• Mentor: Kristina Cergol Kovačević (mentor)
• Committee member: Lidija Cvikić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Alenka Mikulec (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Kristina Cergol Kovačević (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2018-07-10, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Interdisciplinary Humanistic Studies; Teaching Methods in the Humanistic Sciences

Abstract

Identity encompasses an individual’s emotions and beliefs about others who are part of the same social group (Blažević, Rončević, & Šepić, 2007) and language is one of the key features of the person’s identity. This is particularly true of minority language speakers whose mother tongue is different than the language of their environment. Thus, their minority language connects them with their minority group and the culture of their country of origin. Moreover, the knowledge of their minority language aids their foreign language learning as it is known that the knowledge of the hereditary language in combination with the language of the environment highly influences the development of metalinguistic awareness which is beneficial for learning a foreign language (Jessner, 2008). The aim of this study was to investigate multiple language usage and foreign language learning in three large minority groups in Croatia: Albanian, Czech and Hungarian. We focused on their motivation, attitudes and emotions towards the languages they speak, as well as their efforts in maintaining their hereditary language. We were very much interested in learning whether their knowledge of their minority language has somehow facilitated their foreign language learning process. We investigated five participants per minority group (N=15) who kept a semi-structured diary for four weeks that included following topics: the speakers’ sociolinguistic background, their multiple language usage, motivation to use their languages, attitudes and emotions towards languages, future plans concerning their minority language usage and their foreign language learning experience. The results show that the participants are more confident in using their second language but are extremely motivated in using and developing their hereditary language. They tend to express their emotions in their minority language and are willing to improve the language skills of their language. While learning a foreign language, they connected it with their mother tongue and achieved positive transfer of mainly lexical and phonetic features. The main conclusion of the study is that foreign language teachers should encourage their minority pupils to connect the knowledge of their hereditary language with the foreign language in order to maintain their minority language and continuously develop their metalinguistic awareness to help them learn new languages.

Abstract (croatian)

Identitet obuhvaća emocije i vjerovanja pojedinca o ostalim pripadnicima iste društvene skupine (Blažević, Rončević, & Šepić, 2007) te jezik kao jedan od ključnih faktor identiteta osobe. To se ponajviše odnosi na govornike manjinskih jezika čiji materinski jezik je različit od jezika okoline. Sukladno tome, njihov manjinski jezik ih povezuje s njihovom manjinskom zajednicom i s kulturom zemlje njihovog porijekla. Nadalje, znanje nasljednog jezika pomaže im pri učenju stranog jezika te je poznato da znanje nasljednog jezika u kombinaciji s jezikom okoline znatno utječe na razvijanje metalingvističke osviještenosti koja uvelike utječe na učenje stranog jezika (Jessner, 2008). Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je istražiti učenje više jezika i učenje stranih jezika u pripadnika tri velike manjinske skupine u Hrvatskoj: albanska, češka i mađarska. Pritom smo se usredotočili na motivaciju, stavove i emocije prema jezicima ispitanika te njihovom trudu pri očuvanju nasljednog jezika. Zanimljivo je bilo ispitati utječe li znanje manjinskog jezika pozitivno na učenje stranog jezika. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo pet ispitanika po manjinskoj skupini (N=15) koji su vodili polustrukturirani dnevnik u razdoblju od četiri tjedna obuhvaćajući sljedeće teme: jezično-socijalna pozadina ispitanika, uporaba više jezika, motivacija, stavovi i emocije pri uporabi jezika, budući planovi ispitanika za korištenje manjinskog jezika te iskustva ispitanika u procesu učenja stranih jezika. Rezultati su pokazali da su ispitanici sigurniji u korištenje svog drugog jezika te da su izrazito motivirani za uporabu i unaprjeđenje svog nasljednog jezika. Oni nastoje izražavati svoje emocije na manjinskom jeziku i željni su usavršiti jezične vještine svog jezika. Za vrijeme učenja stranog jezika, ispitanici su ga povezivali sa svojim materinskim jezikom te su ostvarili pozitivan transfer leksičkih i fonetskih obilježja jezika. Glavni zaključak ovog istraživanja leži u tome da bi nastavnici stranih jezika trebali poticati svoje učenike govornike manjinskih jezika da povezuju znanje svog nasljednog jezika sa stranim jezikom s namjerom očuvanja manjinskog jezika i neprekidnog razvijanja metalingvističke osviještenosti koja im pomaže učiti nove jezike.

• Keywords: minority speakers; Albanian; Czech; Hungarian; multiple language usage; foreign language learning
• Keywords (croatian): manjinski govornici; Albanci; Česi; Mađari; uporaba više jezika; učenje stranog jezika
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:273494
• Study programme: Title: Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study of Primary Teacher Education and Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study for Primary Teacher Education with English and German Language; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja (magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Access restricted to students and staff of home institution
• Created on: 2019-04-17 09:53:14