Language choices of English L1 learners in a Western Cape high school

[摘要] This research focuses on the language repertoire, patterns of language use and language preferencesof learners from Afrikaans homes, who are registered in the English first language classes in aparticular Western Cape High School. Out interest is in how a profile of the linguistic resources of suchlearners and the context in which their linguistic identity develops may contribute to a perceivedprocess of language shift in the bilingual/multilingual community where they learn and live. SCHOOL Ais multi-racial and multi-lingual, with a large component of coloured learners living in a nearbypredominantly-Afrikaans community. The thesis investigates the linguistic preferences and patterns oflanguage choice and language use of the selected group of learners across various domains, notablyat home, with relatives, at school, with peers and in their religious communities.Data from various sources is presented and discussed in detail to illustrate the variety of languageskills of English L1 learners between the ages of 15 and 17 in Grades 10 and 11. This will give animpression of how multilingual a given section of the local high school population is. The profile testswhether home language or academic language has a greater influence on the later language choice oflearners whose parents use Afrikaans as home language and who have English as LOLT, meaningthat these learners possibly possess considerable skills in at least two languages.The data was collected by means of limited access to school records, questionnaires filled out bylearners, interviews with a number of learners and a couple of parents of such learners. This gives avery good impression of which languages learners know, which they used most, which they preferwhere the choice is between English/Afrikaans bilingualism, English only, Afrikaans only, or codemixedAfrikaans/English). The thesis reports on the linguistic repertoire and preferences, and also on reasonsgiven by learners and parents for their selection of one or more of the various community languages inthe different domains. Consideration is given to the possible accommodation of these learners as firstlanguage users of English which is largely a second language in the community, by other communitymembers and institutions such as school and church.The critical interest of this thesis is to determine the nature and extent of perceived language shift inthis selected community of learners at a particular Western Cape high school, and to consider whethersuch a shift is indicative of a more extensive process of marginalization of Afrikaans in a communitythat historically had a strong Afrikaans identity.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University