engleski

'Journey to multilinguality in a monolingual setting: Evidence from linguistic autobiographies'.

In the field of multilingualism the use of linguistic autobiographies has been recognized as a valuable approach to studying the process of language development, maintenance, and attrition (e.g., Gabrys-Barker, 2014 ; Todeva & Cenoz, 2009). However, it is ephasized that the approach still lacks appropriate methodology when it comes to providing a holistic insight into multiple language acaquisition ( e.g., Pavlenko, 2007 ; Todeva & Cenoz, 2009). The aim of the study was to examine the emic perspective of the process of language acquisition of sequential multilinguals living in a monolingual environment in the light of the postulates of the Dynamic Model of Multilingualism, or more particularly, the claims about qualitative changes in additional language learning related to the M(ultilingualism)- factor (Herdina & Jessner, 2002). The corpus consistsed of 20 linguistic autobiographies written by English language majors in Croatia who had studied a number of languages (from 4 to 10) throughout their lives. Predetermined categories of analysis were: 1) the ways the participants decided to structure their accounts, 2) what they found worth narrating (and what it was that they did not), and 3) the extent to which they made connections between different language systems in portraying their present state multilinguality. Further analysis focused on the evidence of metalinguistic and strategic awareness being recruited in the process of third or additional language acquisition. From a detailed overview of learning processes and outcomes a clear distinction emerged between the approaches taken in the process of second versus third language acquisition. Even though the study showed that the learning trajectories may be determined by a wide array of interracting factors, it revealed certain tendencies and patterns that may be characteristic of multilinguality achieved in a monolingual environment. These are discussed in relation to the perceived communicative needs and the explicit learning/knowledge of the multilinguals.

inguistic biography ; multilinguals ; acquiring additional langauges

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