Performing a linguistic muda in favour of Basque at University: choices, hopes and reality
-
Garbiñe Bereziartua
,
Miren Artetxe
and
Naroa Burreso
Abstract
In the context of minoritised languages, efforts to strengthen the use of these languages and to gain new speakers tend to offer interesting research topics. Linguistic mudas related to activating speakers are also located in this context. This study examines the linguistic mudas of university students. Participants in the study were pre-service primary school teachers at the Donostia/San Sebastián campus of the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, and both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to gather the data (292 questionnaires and 15 focus group discussions). The results show that the university setting can be an ideal context for linguistic mudas to take place. The participants said that they did not notice any significant muda, but did note a tendency to use Basque more than they had prior to entering university. The findings, thus, indicate that specific plans must be designed and implemented in order to foster mudas towards Basque.
Laburpena
Hizkuntza gutxituen testuinguruan, hizkuntza horien erabilera indartu eta hiztun berriak lortzeko ahaleginek, ikergai joriak eskaini ohi dituzte. Hiztunen aktibazioarekin lotuta dauden hizkuntza mudantzak ere testuinguru horretan kokatzen dira. Kasu honetan, unibertsitateko ikasleen hizkuntza mudantzen ingurukoak aztertu dira. Ikerketako parte-hartzaileak Donostiako campuseko Lehen Hezkuntzako irakaslegaiak izan dira eta datuak biltzeko bide kuantitatiboak zein kualitatiboak erabili dira (292 galdetegi eta 15 talde-eztabaida). Ikerketako emaitzek erakutsi dute unibertsitatea testuinguru aproposa izan daitekeela hizkuntza-mudantzak gertatzeko. Mudantza nabarmenik ez dutela sumatu esan dute parte-hartzaileek, baina unibertsitateko eremutik kanpo baino euskara gehiago erabiltzeko joerak ere erregistratu dira. Era guztietara, euskararako mudantzei lotutako emaitza arrakastatsuak lortu nahi izatera, ondorioztatu da beharrezkoa dela horretarako berariazko planak diseinatu eta martxan jartzea.
Appendix
The script of the guide used in the focus group discussions was as follows:
ICE-BREAKER QUESTIONS. The motivations behind choosing their university degree, satisfaction with studies, networks of friends and use of languages within these networks.
MUDA PROCESSES
Realisation of linguistic mudas: from which language to which language; when; how; why.
Opinions on linguistic mudas: ease/difficulty, differences between languages.
THE UNIVERSITY CONTEXT
The language they use to initiate relationships with the people they meet when they start university.
Potential intentions to speak more Basque at university.
The difference between their forecasts and the actual situation with regard to university language habits.
Some students from Spanish-speaking contexts come to university intending to speak more Basque, but then find it difficult to maintain this goal. Opinion on this situation.
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