Metalinguistic awareness in multilinguals: English as a third language

Charlotte Bühler Fellowship H 159 Metalinguistic awareness in multilinguals Ulrike JESSER-SCHMID 09.10.2000 With multilingualism growing in our society, research concerning the cognitive aspects, of multilingual proficiency has increased over the last years. The assumption that bilinguals are better language learners than monolinguals has been discussed in studies on the linguistic and cognitive effects of bilingualism and in third language learning, an area. of research which has only recently started to manifest itself by pointing out that third language acquisition differs from second language acquisition. These advantages are clearly related to enhanced metafinguistic awareness as developed in multilinguals due to their reflections on their language usage. In this study the cognitive aspects in the usage of English as L3 in the European context where English is increasingly used as lingua franca will be focused on. One example is the diglossic area of the South Tyrol where English is taught and learnt as a third Language in contact (and conflict) with Italian and German. Data from trilingual students from South Tyrol at Innsbruck university, i.e. bilingual learners of English, were taken to give evidence of Language processing in multilinguals. Thinkaloud protocols during the process of academic writing in the third Language are used to show how the candidates search for and assess improved phrasing. The underlying research hypothesis is that they compare crosslinguistic equivalents and thus give evidence of the connections that are created between the linguistic systems LI, L2 and U. The results will then be discussed within the framework of a holistic approach to multilingualism as taken in a dynamic model of multilingualism which regards metalinguistic knowledge as an essential part of multilingual proficiency. The study will also be used to point to applied perspectives of research. on multilingualism. One of the main goals in future language teaching which is supposed to be shown in the data presented is the crosslinguistic dimension of language learning winch makes clear that the trilingual speaker is not three in one person. Based on this- assumption and with the intention to fight against the prevailing monolingual habitus in education and society, it will be argued that multilingual education should focus on the similarities between the languages in the curriculum in order to increase metalinguistic awareness in both teachers and language learners, i.e. connections should be made between the languages taught. The holistic view of individual as taken in DMM could thus be seen as the basis of future European multilingual education where the role of English will have to he redefined.