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Edited by Konstanze Jungbluth, Cornelia Müller, Nicole Richter, Hartmut Schröder
Learning to Learn Multilingualism Jörg Roche, Elisabetta Terrasi-Haufe (eds.). 2018. Mehrsprachigkeit und Sprachenerwerb, (Kompendium DaF/DaZ 4). Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempto.
1. Introduction |
2. Summary _________________ 1 This proposition becomes highly relevant in chapter 7.2 on xenolects (p. 257) where the role of input for foreign language learners is discussed. |
the volume also deals with dimensions of multilingualism that have not been investigated in much depth, for example the role of belonging and identity. It is a pity that no further literature is provided here (p. 35), but this is mostly not the rule.2
Here (p. 36) and throughout the chapters, the authors stress that for most of human history multilingualism has been the norm rather than the exception (for example on p. 36). In the process of nation-building starting from the late 18th century, language homogenization has been used to shape national identities. As a consequence, political and educational efforts to revive multilingualism are necessary, especially in industrialized countries where minority languages are mostly marginalized by dominant majority languages (p. 36, cf. Crystal (1997) and p. 37, cf. Weinreich (1953)). These preliminary assumptions not only stand on their own, but also serve as a preface to the discussion of bilingual education (see p. 49 for political aspects and p. 67 for didactics).
_________________ 2 The textbook does discuss literature on social coherence and belonging in chapter 6.3 but at this point it neglects to provide the relevant references. |
In spite of the clear orientation towards cognitive linguistics, the two editors of the present volume openly discuss nativist approaches, namely in chapter 3.2. This is done not only with the aim of pointing out the limits of this theory. Insights from form-based theories do indeed help us understand learners’ grammatical development. However, in the authors’ opinion they should be considered more as "Diagnoseinstrumente denn als Einladung zu externen Korrekturen [...]" in the process of teaching a foreign language (p. 115). They reach this conclusion after discussing the question of how to interpret deviations from norms in the process of directed second-language learning (cf. Diehl et al. 2000: 372). On the one hand, those in favor of a natural process in the acquisition of an L2 claim that variation occurs despite grammar being taught. On the other hand, those critical of a "starke Formfokussierung im Unterricht" suggest that training exercises may have contributed to the results observed by Diehl et al. (2000), (cf. p. 111). Finally, Terassi-Haufe refers to her own work (2004) where findings inconsistent with Pienmann’s teachability hypothesis (1998) are explained by maturational factors as well as "unterrichtliche Maßnahmen" (p. 115).
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lack references. For example, no literature at all is cited on p. 143 ("Diese Annahme wird von Forschungserkenntnissen unterstützt, die ..."), on p. 144 ("es hat sich gezeigt, dass die ...", "Wie die Forschung zur Sprachlernentwicklung gezeigt hat, ..."), and on p. 155: ("Hinsichtlich der unterschiedlich ausgeprägten linguistischen Fähigkeiten zeigen die Ergebnisse verschiedener Forschungsprojekte, dass ..."). On p. 147, the author of this chapter (Kees de Bot) introduces "Emergentismus, der im Fall von Sprache so zu verstehen ist, dass ...", but cites neither Keller (1994), nor Hopper (1998), nor any other key literature. He also refers to findings mentioned in other volumes of the series without providing a page number, as on p. 143 ("vergleiche den Band »Sprachenlehren«") and p. 152 ("siehe hierzu den Band »Sprachenlernen und Kognition«"). The latter volume does not seem to even refer to the "kognitionslinguistische Systemperspektive".3 Finally, some passages are either inaccurately written or poorly translated. Phrases such as "Es gibt viele Theorien über Sprache, was sie ist, wie sie entstanden ist, und so weiter." (p. 146) or "Ein System entwickelt sich auf eine gewisse Weise, weil sich das System so entwickelt." (p. 147) would certainly require some adjustment. At times, the content even lacks clarity, as can be seen in the following quotation: Sowohl beim Verlust der L1 als auch der L2 spielt das Alter in zweierlei Hinsicht eine entscheidende Rolle. Es wirkt sich deutlich auf den Spracherhalt aus, ob es um den Zeitraum vor oder nach der Pubertät geht: In der präpubertären Phase findet ein erheblicher Verlust statt, während in der postpubertären Phase weitaus mehr bewahrt wird. Der gegensätzliche Alterseffekt tritt im hohen Alter ein. (p. 155)4
First of all, it is entirely unclear what the pronouns es in the second sentence refer to. While the author probably means them to refer to the onset of attrition of an acquired L1 or L2, it is still difficult to imagine what the "opposite effect in terms of advanced age" exactly means in this context (ibid., translation EB).
_________________ 3 In other cases, the authors do not neglect to include page numbers. For example, on p. 165 the exact learning unit is given in the reference to another volume of the same series. 4 In contrast to other citations I did not translate this passage into English. The aim was to show the original wording. |
2.5 Chapter 5 – on multilingual use of language In usual conversations containing code-switching, [speakers] are never forced to switch codes. They do so because it is in line with their purpose... Some words and constructions tend to occur in a certain language. Perhaps even the term "language" is insufficient to describe the process. A word or a phrase is used because it comes to one’s mind; which language the word originates from is basically irrelevant. (p. 173, my translation).
In this respect, both multilinguals and monolinguals use "die praktische und kostengünstige Variante und das können Entitäten aus dieser oder jener Sprache sein." (ibid.)
5 This argument is taken up again in chapter 7.2 on xenolects, which show great variation and can therefore be analyzed in terms of code-switching (p. 251). |
(1994) on p. 190), along with external references (cf. most recent study by Rosenberg and Schröder (2016)).
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2.7 Chapter 7 – communication in multilingual contexts |
also turned into questions for the reader (p. 259). Likewise, the highly interesting but far too short section on pidgins and creoles contains some inspiring questions (cf. question 4 on p. 269: "Welche Konsequenzen ergeben sich für den Sprachenerwerb und den Sprachunterricht aus den Erkenntnissen über Pidginisierung und Kreolisierung? Wie lassen sich Kreolisierungserscheinungen im Sprachenerwerb vermeiden?"). However, the discussion of methodological implications is far from exhaustive, and is limited to the final paragraph of each of the first two subsections. As for the question of how to make use of the high variability of xenolects when teaching a foreign language, advice is given only in the very last sentence: It makes sense to properly consider addressees’ input model when teaching a language to young people and children, and when teaching technical terminology. This also applies to the selection of communicative tasks and readings or grammatical exercises. (pp. 258-259, my translation)
This shortcoming is compensated for in two ways. Firstly, in the sample solutions on the publishers’ website one can find detailed responses to the questions mentioned above.6
Secondly, the final chapter 8 is explicitly dedicated to methodological questions. It will be discussed in the following section, before drawing an overall conclusion in chapter 3 of the present review.
6 Available under http://meta.narr.de/9783823381822/M4_Musterloesung_Wissenskontrollaufgaben.pdf. See for example the answer on question 4 in chapter 3.2 asking for the didactical consequences of the basic variety and its implications for learning and teaching a language. It includes a methodological discussion of the theses presented by Klein and Dimroth (2003) on non-directed second-language acquisition. |
(2011)) which are crucial for comprehending the different skills one needs to develop when writing texts in a foreign language. The author (Claudia Maria Riehl) then introduces different models for recording language competence. Combined with Koch and Oesterreicher’s well-known model mentioned above, one can understand the need for foreign language teachers to distinguish between texts’ different modes of discourse, which they often disregard (p. 295).
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awareness to the challenges still facing second language learning. However, teachers and those responsible for foreign language training will ultimately benefit most from this book, even if they find it occasionally demanding in terms of prerequisite linguistic knowledge and somewhat lacking in references to further literature. References Auer, Peter. 2003. "Türkenslang": Ein jugendsprachlicher Ethnolekt des Deutschen und seine Transformationen. In Annelies Häcki Buhofer (ed.), Spracherwerb und Lebensalter, 255–264. Tübingen & Basel: Francke. Coseriu, Eugenio. 1988. "Historische Sprache" und "Dialekt." In Jörn Albrecht, Jens Lüdtke, Harald Thun, and Eugenio Coseriu (eds.), Energeia und Ergon. Sprachliche Variation – Sprachgeschichte – Sprachtypologie. Studia in honorem Eugenio Coseriu, vol. 1, 45–61. (Tübinger Beiträge zur Linguistik 300). Tübingen: Narr. Coulmas, Florian. 2013. Sociolinguistics: The Study of Speakers’ Choice. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. Crystal, David. 1997. The Encyclopedia of Language. Second edition. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. Diehl, Erika, Helen Christen, Sandra Leuenberger, Isabelle Pelvat, and Thérèse Studer. 2000. Grammatikunterricht, alles für der Katz? Untersuchungen zum Zweitsprachenerwerb Deutsch. Tübingen: Niemeyer. Givón, Talmy. 1979. From Discourse to Syntax: Grammar as a Processing Strategy. In John P. Kimball and Talmy Givón (eds.), Syntax and Semantics, 81–112. New York: Academic Press. Gumperz, John J. 1967. Language and Communication. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences 373. 219–231. Hopper, Paul and Michael Tomasello. 1998. Emergent grammar. The New Psychology of Language, 155–175. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. |
Keller, Rudi. 1994. Sprachwandel. Von der unsichtbaren Hand in der Sprache. 2nd edition. Tübingen & Basel: Francke. Klein, Wolfgang and Christine Dimroth. 2003. Der ungesteuerte Zweitspracherwerb Erwachsener. Ein Überblick über den Forschungsstand. Qualitätsanforderungen für die Sprachförderung im Rahmen der Integration von Zuwanderern, vol. 21, 127–161. (IMIS-Beiträge). Osnabrück: IMIS. Koch, Peter and Wulf Oesterreicher. 1994. Schriftlichkeit und Sprache. Schrift und Schriftlichkeit. Ein interdisziplinäres Handbuch internationaler Forschung, 587-604. Berlin, New York: de Gruyter. Koch, Peter and Wulf Oesterreicher. 2011. Gesprochene Sprache in der Romania. Französisch, Italienisch, Spanisch. Berlin: de Gruyter. Pienemann, Manfred. 1998. Language Processing and Second Language Development: Processability Theory. Amsterdam, Philadelphia: Benjamins. Riehl, Claudia Maria. 2014. Sprachkontaktforschung. Eine Einführung. 3rd revised edition. (Narr-Studienbücher). Tübingen: Narr. Rosenberg, Peter and Christoph Schröder. 2016. Mehrsprachigkeit als Ressource in der Schriftlichkeit. Berlin: de Gruyter. Skutnabb-Kangas, Tove and Pertti Toukomaa. 1977. Teaching Migrant Children’s Mother-tongue and Learning the Language of the Host Country in the Context of the Socio-cultural Situation of the Migrant Family. UNESCO-Report/Forschungsbericht. Tampere: Universität Tampere. Terrasi-Haufe, Elisabetta. 2004. Der Schulerwerb von Deutsch als Fremdsprache. Eine empirische Untersuchung am Beispiel der italienischsprachigen Schweiz. Tübingen: Niemeyer. Wandruszka, Mario. 1979. Die Mehrsprachigkeit des Menschen. München: Piper. |
Weinreich, Uriel. 1953. Languages in Contact: Findings and Problems. New York: Mouton de Gruyter. Wiese, Heike. 2006. "Ich mach dich Messer": Grammatische Produktivität in Kiez-Sprache ("Kanak-Sprak"). Linguistische Berichte 207. 245–273. Wiese, Heike. 2012. Kiezdeutsch. Ein neuer Dialekt entsteht. München: C.H. Beck. DOI: 10.11584/pragrev.2020.8.1.3 |