Language attitudes by origin of learners of Catalan as a host language

Abstract

This paper focuses on linguistic attitudes of four groups of Catalan learners with different L1: Arabic, Punjabi/Urdu, Chinese and Spanish. On the basis of the description of the sociolinguistic situation of their countries of origin, it is sought to establish relationships between types of attitudes and new motivational constructs in connection with the learning of Catalan in a multilingual context such as that of Barcelona. The analysis of the statements of 76 pupils allows relationships to be established between linguistic attitudes and motivations in the classroom learning of the Catalan language and its use elsewhere in everyday life. Drawing on the results, patterns of linguistic behaviour are derived among new speakers and native speakers– as linguistic and social agents – who share the responsibility for making Catalan a true host language.

Keywords: linguistic attitudes, motivations for acquisition of second languages, linguistic ideologies, new speakers of Catalan.