Language attitudes in multilingual settings

Language attitudes in sociolinguistics

Language attitudes in multilingual settings are significant and say a lot about this language. A language is a powerful tool used for the purpose of communication. However, this is not the only function of language as it is deeply correlated with social and political factors. Across history, there were many events that influenced the status of languages. For instance, English, now known as the “lingua franca”, was once a language of the lower classes. A huge number of the world’s population speaks English, and people often use it in international conferences and meetings. In a context where individuals from different cultures gather, one is more likely to use the English language.

A study about “Attitude Towards Language in Sociolinguistics Settings: A Brief Overview” depicts how people use language to connect with each other and share thoughts and feelings. Moreover, a language can reflect our identity, nation, origins, and education. People have different perceptions about language, and this may determine the fate of a language’s survival. External social and political events shape people’s attitudes towards a language. Thus, this affects its status. Certain languages become prominent and are associated with high prestige. On the contrary, negative associations of other languages discourage speakers from using them.

Language attitudes in multilingual settings

What is an attitude?

Research has defined attitude as a psychological phenomenon that represents a person’s perception or feelings towards something. Moreover, attitudes have the power to alter behaviors and modify actions depending on the person’s feelings. This demonstrates how attitude is the key feature that determines our behavior towards languages.

How does attitude affect language?

When people form negative attitudes towards a language, they refrain from using this language in certain contexts, or vice versa. A person may choose to speak in a specific language because it may be associated with certain connotations. Language attitudes in multilingual settings are crucial since they affect what language the speaker will use. They also plays a role in the survival of languages whereby many have died and people do not use them anymore.

Social and Political Factors that affect language attitudes in multilingual settings

Historical events are  primary key determinants of language attitudes. A myriad of political and historical factors have been a part of history. These factors have an impact on cultures, identities, behaviors, and so on. Language is linked with all these aspects, and thus, it is also affected. The status of all languages varies across history due to historical events. Here, the focus will be on the major events that shaped the status of the English language, the French language, and African languages.

The 1066 Norman Invasion

Detail of a miniature of the Battle of Hastings. Image taken from f. 155v of Grande Chronique de Normandie. Written in French.

Due to the historical war of 1066 and the invasion of the French, it became the dominant language in England and gained a lot of prestige. French was the language of the upper classes, and it was the language of chivalry and sophistication. On the other hand, English became an inferior language that people in rural areas use. Speaking English at that time had a lot of negative associations. It implied that the individual is uneducated, unsophisticated, and in certain cases, is a criminal and a savage. Hence, political and historical events highly influenced behaviors towards different languages.

The Colonization of South African Countries

Colonial Africa 1900 Map

In the previous decades, racism and discrimination were prevalent. Since the colonizers treated Africans as slaves who did not possess basic human rights, their languages were inferior. The main reason would be the European colonization of Africa. This is part of why the marginalization of many African languages occurred. Today, there are more than 25 African languages in South Africa. However, only one of them, the Afrikaans, became an official language and gained some status. Until now, governments disregard African languages and many are dying. This is mainly because the historical events of Africa that have shaped negative attitude towards African languages. Consequently, people’s response was not to use them or give them a high status. As a result, language attitudes in multilingual settings in Africa are negative towards those who speak unstandardized African languages.

Globalization and the Power of the U.S.A

Globalization Cartoon

Today, English is the most ubiquitous language across the whole world, and it is considered the “lingua franca”. There are many reasons why this could be the case, but surely political and social factors contribute to shaping attitudes towards English. The U.S is one of the most powerful countries in the world, controlling many economies and global events. Eventually, the English language became quickly renowned, and it became essential for everyone to have basic knowledge of English. Hence, people will portray positive language attitudes in multilingual settings towards those who speak English.

References

Amin, A. (2020). Attitude Towards Language in Sociolinguistics Settings: A Brief Overview. REiLA : Journal of Research and Innovation in Language, 2(1), 27-30. https://doi.org/10.31849/reila.v2i1.3758