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Chapter 11. Accomplishing multilingualism through plurilingual activities

  • Luci Nussbaum , Emilee Moore and Eulalia Borràs
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Exploring the Dynamics of Multilingualism
This chapter is in the book Exploring the Dynamics of Multilingualism

Abstract

This chapter studies the dynamics between existing bilingualism and developing international agendas at two Catalan public universities. It explores multilingualism as illustrated in interaction, tracking links between plurilingual practices and knowledge construction. The data are primarily from L2-medium academic content classes (ELF or CLIL), although interactional data from other institutional settings are drawn on in portraying practices. The study follows qualitative and emic approaches; the field was constructed ethnographically, while conversation analytic procedures guide the analysis of interaction. The results demonstrate how, in non-classroom events, participants align with policies through their use of local languages and English – categorised as a tool for practising internationalisation. Other languages are also present, although they lack relevant status in policies. In these settings, the practices in a plurilingual mode allow local participants to achieve the goals of internationalisation and also create a pleasant social environment. Classroom data document the emergence of practices in a plurilingual mode, although these are less frequent in ELF than in CLIL classes. Plurilingual practices are traced mainly in dialogical sequences, while they also occur in students’ written notes. The data suggest that the plurilingual mode enhances student participation, allows members to achieve their goals, and creates a favourable framework for an in-depth processing of academic content. Plurilingual practices are not portrayed in official documents. Despite being revealed empirically to be an everyday reality, hybrid language uses or plurilanguaging are not promoted as a potential knowledge construction tool or as a key resource for ‘doing internationalisation’.

Abstract

This chapter studies the dynamics between existing bilingualism and developing international agendas at two Catalan public universities. It explores multilingualism as illustrated in interaction, tracking links between plurilingual practices and knowledge construction. The data are primarily from L2-medium academic content classes (ELF or CLIL), although interactional data from other institutional settings are drawn on in portraying practices. The study follows qualitative and emic approaches; the field was constructed ethnographically, while conversation analytic procedures guide the analysis of interaction. The results demonstrate how, in non-classroom events, participants align with policies through their use of local languages and English – categorised as a tool for practising internationalisation. Other languages are also present, although they lack relevant status in policies. In these settings, the practices in a plurilingual mode allow local participants to achieve the goals of internationalisation and also create a pleasant social environment. Classroom data document the emergence of practices in a plurilingual mode, although these are less frequent in ELF than in CLIL classes. Plurilingual practices are traced mainly in dialogical sequences, while they also occur in students’ written notes. The data suggest that the plurilingual mode enhances student participation, allows members to achieve their goals, and creates a favourable framework for an in-depth processing of academic content. Plurilingual practices are not portrayed in official documents. Despite being revealed empirically to be an everyday reality, hybrid language uses or plurilanguaging are not promoted as a potential knowledge construction tool or as a key resource for ‘doing internationalisation’.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction ix
  4. Part I. Companies
  5. Chapter 1. Multilingual practices in professional settings 3
  6. Chapter 2. The practical processing of plurilingualism as a resource in professional activities 33
  7. Chapter 3. Multilingualism and diversity management in companies in the Upper Rhine Region 59
  8. Chapter 4. Representations of multilingualism and management of linguistic diversity in companies 83
  9. Chapter 5. A social representational perspective on languages and their management in the Danish corporate sector 101
  10. Chapter 6. What can Gaelic teach us about effective policy through planning? 121
  11. Chapter 7. Language diversity management on corporate websites 137
  12. Part II. European institutions
  13. Chapter 8. Language competence and language choice within EU institutions and their effects on national legislative authorities 157
  14. Chapter 9. EU and lesser-used languages 179
  15. Chapter 10. Dynamics of multilingualism in post-Enlargement EU institutions 205
  16. Part III. Higher education
  17. Chapter 11. Accomplishing multilingualism through plurilingual activities 229
  18. Chapter 12. Multilingual higher education between policies and practices 253
  19. Chapter 13. Plurilingualisms and knowledge construction in higher education 279
  20. Chapter 14. Language policies in universities and their outcomes 299
  21. Chapter 15. Policies and practices of multilingualism at Babeş-Bolyai University (Cluj, Romania) 323
  22. How policies influence multilingual education and the impact of multilingual education on practices 353
  23. Part IV. Transversal issues
  24. Chapter 17. Assessing efficiency and fairness in multilingual communication 365
  25. Chapter 18. English as a lingua franca in European multilingualism 387
  26. Chapter 19. Europe’s multilingualism in the context of a European culture of standard languages 407
  27. Conclusion 429
  28. Index 437
https://doi.org/10.1075/mdm.2.11nus

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction ix
  4. Part I. Companies
  5. Chapter 1. Multilingual practices in professional settings 3
  6. Chapter 2. The practical processing of plurilingualism as a resource in professional activities 33
  7. Chapter 3. Multilingualism and diversity management in companies in the Upper Rhine Region 59
  8. Chapter 4. Representations of multilingualism and management of linguistic diversity in companies 83
  9. Chapter 5. A social representational perspective on languages and their management in the Danish corporate sector 101
  10. Chapter 6. What can Gaelic teach us about effective policy through planning? 121
  11. Chapter 7. Language diversity management on corporate websites 137
  12. Part II. European institutions
  13. Chapter 8. Language competence and language choice within EU institutions and their effects on national legislative authorities 157
  14. Chapter 9. EU and lesser-used languages 179
  15. Chapter 10. Dynamics of multilingualism in post-Enlargement EU institutions 205
  16. Part III. Higher education
  17. Chapter 11. Accomplishing multilingualism through plurilingual activities 229
  18. Chapter 12. Multilingual higher education between policies and practices 253
  19. Chapter 13. Plurilingualisms and knowledge construction in higher education 279
  20. Chapter 14. Language policies in universities and their outcomes 299
  21. Chapter 15. Policies and practices of multilingualism at Babeş-Bolyai University (Cluj, Romania) 323
  22. How policies influence multilingual education and the impact of multilingual education on practices 353
  23. Part IV. Transversal issues
  24. Chapter 17. Assessing efficiency and fairness in multilingual communication 365
  25. Chapter 18. English as a lingua franca in European multilingualism 387
  26. Chapter 19. Europe’s multilingualism in the context of a European culture of standard languages 407
  27. Conclusion 429
  28. Index 437
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