Speaking the second language in a bilingual society : form 5 students' attitudes towards speaking English in Malta

Abstract

This dissertation sets out to explore Form 5 students' attitudes towards spoken English in bilingual Malta. Functions of attitudes are scrutinized in order to understand how these might influence students' attitudes towards spoken English. The Accommodation Theory plays a major role in identifying whether students accommodate or diverge from Maltese speakers of English in their encounters with each other. The issue of identity is investigated to better understand whether English language is seen as an integral part of one's Maltese identity or as the language which is threatening it. So as to gauge students' attitudes towards English, the researcher made use of a highly-structured questionnaire, in order to generate frequencies of response amenable to statistical treatment and analysis. Five hundred and twenty-two fifth formers attending thirteen different schools in Malta were involved in this study. Questionnaires were delivered to these schools, which had been chosen using the simple random sampling method and conducted personally by the present researcher. The findings in this study reveal that attitudes towards spoken English serve mainly as an instrumental function for Form 5 students in Malta. English is acknowledged as an important language for fifth formers. Nonetheless, students diverge from Maltese speakers of English as a form of protest. English usage is translated into disrespect and lack of pride with regard to one's Maltese identity. There are two trains of thought regarding the role of English language as part of one's identity: almost half the population (49%) claim that Maltese is the sole language, which forms it, while the remaining 51% asserts that English is an integral part of their identity as Maltese nationals.