Nowadays, in a globalized world where cross-cultural relationships are of key importance, multilingualism becomes more and more common, as well as families of mixed nations using more than one language. As a result of these, more and more children are growing up as bilingual or even as trilingual. It is interesting how these children can acquire two or more languages on a native-like level in their early childhood and how they learn foreign languages later at school. The aim of this paper is to explore this field using a case study of a Russian-Hungarian bilingual woman in Hungary. The purpose of the research is to find out what influences the bilingual background could have on the person’s foreign language learning, especially on learning English. The main question to be answered in this paper is: How does having a Russian-Hungarian mother tongue influence learning English? The hypothesized result is that the bilingual research participant experiences many positive factors because she already speaks two languages which is a cognitive advantage for her.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Methods
2.1 Participant
2.2 Instruments
2.3 Data collection & analysis
3. Results and discussion
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Topics
This paper explores the impact of a bilingual upbringing on the foreign language learning process through a case study of a Russian-Hungarian woman living in Hungary. The research aims to determine how her bilingual background and specific language learning experiences influence her acquisition of English as a third language, while also evaluating the role of motivation and language learning anxiety.
- Effects of bilingualism on third language acquisition
- Influence of personal language learning history and educational experiences
- Role of instrumental motivation in foreign language learning
- Analysis of foreign language anxiety factors
- Correlation between bilingual background and vocabulary acquisition
Excerpt from the Book
3. Results and discussion
During the interview, Szilvia mentioned various topics connected to her language learning. The most important topics, that could influence her foreign language learning the most, are summarized in the following coding scheme (for the full version of the coding scheme see Appendix). The order of the categories follows a logical structure (not the order how they were mentioned in the interview), they are interpreted one after the other.
Szilvia thinks that the two languages that she had known on a native-like level before she started learning English have a positive influence on her English learning. She feels that learning English vocabulary was easier for her than for the others who were not bilingual. She said: “...if somebody has already learnt a language, the second one will be easier…”
“There are some words that are similar, for example the word ’balcony’ in English is ’balkon’ in Russian…”
“I feel, and I felt that it is easier for me to learn vocabulary. I learn the words faster than others, who learn this language as a first language in their life.”
Her answers also support the idea that bilingualism has a positive effect on third language acquisition (Cummins, 1976). However, despite the positive effect of bilingualism, Szilvia was not outstandingly successful in learning English. About her current English level she says: “Now, well, I am sure I cannot speak English on an intermediate level like in 2007, but I am somewhere between elementary and intermediate. However, there would be many things to improve and I feel that there would be many things to learn.”
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the theoretical context of bilingualism in a globalized world and outlines the research objective, which is to investigate how a Russian-Hungarian bilingual background influences the learning of English.
2. Methods: This section details the case study approach, describing the participant, the interview and questionnaire instruments used for data collection, and the procedures for analyzing the gathered information.
3. Results and discussion: This chapter presents the qualitative and quantitative findings, categorizing the participant's experiences and analyzing how her bilingualism, educational background, and motivation shape her current English proficiency.
4. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the study's findings, noting that while bilingualism provides certain cognitive advantages, individual learning experiences and pedagogical factors are equally critical in determining overall language learning success.
Keywords
Bilingualism, Third Language Acquisition, Case Study, Language Learning Motivation, English as a Foreign Language, Instrumental Motivation, Language Anxiety, Educational Experience, Cognitive Advantage, Vocabulary Acquisition, Russian-Hungarian, Linguistic Development.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how being a Russian-Hungarian bilingual living in Hungary affects the participant's ability to learn English as a foreign language.
What are the central themes discussed in the study?
The core themes include the impact of bilingualism on third language acquisition, the significance of language learning experiences, and the role of instrumental motivation.
What is the main research question?
The research seeks to answer: "How does having a Russian-Hungarian mother tongue influence learning English?"
Which methodology was employed for this investigation?
The study uses a qualitative case study method, utilizing semi-structured interviews and a standardized motivation questionnaire to collect data.
What does the main body of the paper address?
It analyzes the participant's background, her specific negative and positive experiences with teachers and methods, and her high levels of instrumental motivation for learning English.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Key terms include bilingualism, third language acquisition, instrumental motivation, language anxiety, and individual differences in language learning.
Does the participant find it easier to learn English because of her bilingual background?
Yes, she feels that being bilingual helps her, specifically regarding vocabulary acquisition, because she finds it easier to learn words by comparing them across languages.
Why did the participant struggle to reach an intermediate level despite her bilingualism?
The study identifies negative experiences with teaching methods in primary school and varying levels of anxiety as significant factors that hindered her progress.
- Citar trabajo
- Enikő Jakus (Autor), 2011, How does having a Russian mother tongue and living in Hungary influence learning English?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/171740
