Linguistic Identity in the English as a Lingua Franca Communication: Changing Perceptions on English Non-nativeness in the Context of an Erasmus Community of Practice

• Název práce v češtině: Angličtina jako lingua franca a jazyková identita mluvčích: měnící se pohled na status nerodilého mluvčího v kontextu Erasmus komunity
• Název v anglickém jazyce: Linguistic Identity in the English as a Lingua Franca Communication: Changing Perceptions on English Non-nativeness in the Context of an Erasmus Community of Practice
• Klíčová slova: Angličtina jako lingua franca|mezikulturní komunikace|identita
• Klíčová slova anglicky: English as a Lingua Franca|Intercultural communication|Identity
• Akademický rok vypsání: 2016/2017
• Typ práce: diplomová práce
• Jazyk práce: angličtina
• Ústav: Ústav světových dějin (21-USD)
• Vedoucí / školitel: Mgr. Jiří Janáč, Ph.D.
• Řešitel: skrytý - zadáno a potvrzeno stud. odd.
• Datum přihlášení: 13.06.2017
• Datum zadání: 18.06.2017
• Schválení administrátorem: zatím neschvalováno
• Datum potvrzení stud. oddělením: 06.08.2018
• Datum a čas obhajoby: 05.09.2018 10:00
• Datum odevzdání elektronické podoby: 06.08.2018
• Datum proběhlé obhajoby: 05.09.2018
• Odevzdaná/finalizovaná: odevzdaná studentem a finalizovaná
• Oponenti: Mgr. Tamah Sherman, Ph.D.

Zásady pro vypracování

The proposed master thesis explores the recognition of the specific role of English as a global lingua franca and the implications it has for the speakers’ linguistic identities. Specifically, it is a sociolinguistic study of L2 speakers’ perceptions on their use of English in the context of an Erasmus student mobility which employs the community of practice approach as both conceptual and analytical tool.
The study consists of two parts, the theoretical framework and the empirical research. The former describes the concept of English as a lingua franca, its origins, development, function, current understanding, its institutionalization and implications for future. ELF is a way of referring to a communication in English between speakers who have different first languages. The difference of English as a lingua franca as opposed to the traditional conception of English resides in the altered perception on the norm-giving authority. ELF “is no longer founded on the linguistic and sociocultural norms of native English speakers and their respective countries and cultures” (Gnutzmann, 2000, p. 358, cited in Hülmbauer, Böhringer, and Seidlhofer 2008, p. 27). ELF users are not conforming to the given norms, they are inventing their own instead. In other words, when we talk about ELF, we refer to a change in the conventional thinking about the use of English as a tool for intercultural communication and it is a much broader change than simply a linguistic one.
The gained independence of the native speaker model may also impact the speakers’ linguistic identities. The conventional English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching is based on the Standard Language Ideology and, undoubtedly, it, serves as purposeful and an effective tool for the speakers who want to learn English as a foreign language. On the other hand, standard language ideology claims that any kind of English which deviates from the Specific codified varieties of NSE - British, American, etc., is incorrect and deficient which can give rise to some undesirable implications. The SLI influence might in a sense account for, why the non - native speakers were found to be referred to in negative terms, highlighting its deficiencies in relation to the native speaker. Similarly, the non-native speakers’ perception of themselves tended to focus on inadequacies and shortcomings in proficiency, which means that the linguistic identities of the non-native speakers which emerged were rather negative” (Virkkula and Nikula 2010, p. 17). However, the move away from the native speaker model and the environment which reiterates it, I believe, “offers non-native speakers significant advantages, not only in terms of language appropriation but also for identity negotiation“ (Pölzl and Seidlhofer 2006; Jenkins 2007, cited in Virkkula and Nikula 2010, p.17). As speakers start to actively negotiate and adjust English to their own purposes and make the communication work effectively for them rather than for the, mostly absent, native speakers, more positive perceptions of themselves can emerge as a result of it.
The community of practice tool employed for this research seems to be an ideal instrument for investigation of this topic not only because it provides an option how the formations of ELF speakers can at all be conceptualized, but also because it enables to examine how they participate in shared social and linguistic practices on regular basis and over an extended period of time , which are the likely preconditions for a change in behaviour to occur (Pekarek Doehler and Wagner 2010, cited in Kalocsai, 2014, p. 33). More importantly, this approach seems to have the potential “to explicate the processes of identity formation, or in the case of this study, of identity transformation among ELF users” (Kalocsai, 2014, p. 33). The type of communities which can be labelled as a CoP can be found, for example, in the environment of study abroad communities. Such is also the case of this study. The methodological part will introduce the participants, i.e. Erasmus students studying for one or two semesters at the Charles University in Prague and regularly engaging in social activities with other mobility students. In order to gain more in-depth insights into the participants’ perceptions, a group of 7 students was chosen to be interviewed in person and observed as a group while they are interacting during their social gatherings. The data for this study were gathered with the help of two methods: a qualitative interview and participant observation in the fieldwork. Firstly, the study will examine the local linguistic means created and utilized by the Prague Erasmus community, i.e. the salient features of their shared ELF repertoire as well as what it reveals about speakers’priorities in communication. Secondly, we will attempt to gain an understanding of the students’ perceptions on their status as non-native speakers of English, reveal possible ambivalence, and to find out how these perceptions changed (or not) during their study abroad experience as well how such changes are possibly interpreted.
The proposed master thesis explores the recognition of the specific role of English as a global lingua franca and the implications it has for the speakers’ linguistic identities. Specifically, it is a sociolinguistic study of L2 speakers’ perceptions on their use of English in the context of an Erasmus student mobility which employs the community of practice approach as both conceptual and analytical tool.
The study consists of two parts, the theoretical framework and the empirical research. The former describes the concept of English as a lingua franca, its origins, development, function, current understanding, its institutionalization and implications for future. ELF is a way of referring to a communication in English between speakers who have different first languages. The difference of English as a lingua franca as opposed to the traditional conception of English resides in the altered perception on the norm-giving authority. ELF “is no longer founded on the linguistic and sociocultural norms of native English speakers and their respective countries and cultures” (Gnutzmann, 2000, p. 358, cited in Hülmbauer, Böhringer, and Seidlhofer 2008, p. 27). ELF users are not conforming to the given norms, they are inventing their own instead. In other words, when we talk about ELF, we refer to a change in the conventional thinking about the use of English as a tool for intercultural communication and it is a much broader change than simply a linguistic one.
The gained independence of the native speaker model may also impact the speakers’ linguistic identities. The conventional English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching is based on the Standard Language Ideology and, undoubtedly, it, serves as purposeful and an effective tool for the speakers who want to learn English as a foreign language. On the other hand, standard language ideology claims that any kind of English which deviates from the Specific codified varieties of NSE - British, American, etc., is incorrect and deficient which can give rise to some undesirable implications. The SLI influence might in a sense account for, why the non - native speakers were found to be referred to in negative terms, highlighting its deficiencies in relation to the native speaker. Similarly, the non-native speakers’ perception of themselves tended to focus on inadequacies and shortcomings in proficiency, which means that the linguistic identities of the non-native speakers which emerged were rather negative” (Virkkula and Nikula 2010, p. 17). However, the move away from the native speaker model and the environment which reiterates it, I believe, “offers non-native speakers significant advantages, not only in terms of language appropriation but also for identity negotiation“ (Pölzl and Seidlhofer 2006; Jenkins 2007, cited in Virkkula and Nikula 2010, p.17). As speakers start to actively negotiate and adjust English to their own purposes and make the communication work effectively for them rather than for the, mostly absent, native speakers, more positive perceptions of themselves can emerge as a result of it.
The community of practice tool employed for this research seems to be an ideal instrument for investigation of this topic not only because it provides an option how the formations of ELF speakers can at all be conceptualized, but also because it enables to examine how they participate in shared social and linguistic practices on regular basis and over an extended period of time , which are the likely preconditions for a change in behaviour to occur (Pekarek Doehler and Wagner 2010, cited in Kalocsai, 2014, p. 33). More importantly, this approach seems to have the potential “to explicate the processes of identity formation, or in the case of this study, of identity transformation among ELF users” (Kalocsai, 2014, p. 33). The type of communities which can be labelled as a CoP can be found, for example, in the environment of study abroad communities. Such is also the case of this study. The methodological part will introduce the participants, i.e. Erasmus students studying for one or two semesters at the Charles University in Prague and regularly engaging in social activities with other mobility students. In order to gain more in-depth insights into the participants’ perceptions, a group of 7 students was chosen to be interviewed in person and observed as a group while they are interacting during their social gatherings. The data for this study were gathered with the help of two methods: a qualitative interview and participant observation in the fieldwork. Firstly, the study will examine the local linguistic means created and utilized by the Prague Erasmus community, i.e. the salient features of their shared ELF repertoire as well as what it reveals about speakers’priorities in communication. Secondly, we will attempt to gain an understanding of the students’ perceptions on their status as non-native speakers of English, reveal possible ambivalence, and to find out how these perceptions changed (or not) during their study abroad experience as well how such changes are possibly interpreted.

Seznam odborné literatury

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