The different roles of second languages in people's lives.

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The Different Roles Of Second Languages In
Peoples Lives

• Asmara Shafqat
• MS- Applied Linguistics
• NED University, Karachi, Pakistan
• asmara_2002_at_hotmail.com

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• Language teachers must know !
• Why we are teaching second language?
• What students want to be?
• What groups they want to belong to?

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KEY WORDS
Multilingualism Countries or situations where more than one language is used for everyday purposes.
Elite bilingualism Either the decision by parents to bring up children through two languages, or societies in which members of a ruling group speak a second language.
Official language Language(s) recognized by a country for official purposes.
Linguistic imperialism The means by which a centre country dominates periphery countries by making them use its language.
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Why do we need a second language? The real-life
history of a boy in Tanzania who spoke Kihaya at
home he needed Kiswahili in elementary school
and English in secondary school he trained to be
a priest, which needed Latin, but he also learnt
French out of curiosity at the same time. Then he
went as a priest to Uganda and Kenya, where he
needed Rukiga and Kikamba, and he is now in
Illinois, where he needs Spanish to communicate
with his parishioners, To most monolingual
English speakers, this seems a mind-bloggling
life story.
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• Role of second languages in different ways
• Bilingualism by choice
• Second language for religious use
• Official-language and L2 learning
• Multilingualism and L2 learning
• Internationalism and second languages

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Bilingualism By Choice
Parental choice
Higher status
Being an expatriate
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Second language for religious use
Quran/Prayers in Arabic
Muslims
Jews
Prayers in Hebrew
Hindu
Sanskrit
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Official languages and L2 learning
English(Official)
Arabic (Religious)
Urdu (National)
Local languages
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Multilingualism L2 Learning

• Mother tongue
• Native language
• Official language
• ESL
• EFL

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Internationalism Second Languages

• For overcoming barriers to the flow of
  information, goods people across national
  boundaries.
• Social Networking.
• Requirement of admission in universities.
• Promoting relationship with other countries.
• Brining some benefits from outside the home
  country.
• Jobs.
• Linguistic imperialism.

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Groups of Language Users

1. People speaking their native language.
2. People using an L2 within the majority community.
3. People historically from a particular community
   (re-)acquiring its language as L2.

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Groups of Language Users (cont.)

• People speaking an L2 as short-term visitors to
  another country or to short term visitors to
  their country.
• People using an L2 with spouses or friends.
• People using an L2 internationally for specific
  functions.

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Groups of Language Users (cont.)..

1. Students and teachers acquiring or conveying an
   education through an L2.
2. Pupils and teachers learning or teaching L2 in
   school.

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Conclusion If we know the roles that second
languages plays in peoples lives and the L2
users are members of specific groups then we will
be able to understand the goals of language
teaching.
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Thank you