Language contact awareness in a multilingual environment: The perception of cross-linguistic similarities by pre-service English EFL teachers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26443/mje/rsem.v60i3.10366Keywords:
cross-linguistic similarities, English as a Foreign Language, language contact awareness, multilingualism, plurilingualismAbstract
Acknowledging and discussing language contacts in a multilingual environment such as Reunion Island could empower language learners and facilitate language teaching. Yet, cross-linguistic similarities cannot be nurtured without being first perceived by teachers. Considering English as a bridge language, this study aims to identify the connections recognized by 19 pre-service English teachers, mainly between English and French, German, Korean, Reunionese Creole, Shimaore, or Spanish. The data gathered stems from elements of language biographies and the completion of four contrastive exercises. A qualitative study conveyed through manual coding allowed for the analysis of the cross- linguistic contacts identified. The results emphasize the rich diversity of connections recognized, but they also suggest that perception may sometimes give way to less grounded assumptions.
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