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its influence on ELF on Turkish English Language Learners
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23 December 2019
Hilal Demir 191113121 MALTEPE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING MASTER PROGRAM FINAL EXAM RESEARCH PAPER Asst. Prof. Dr. Hakan Dilman
Abstract The role which English maintains as a lingua franca is currently being conceptualized in different ways. The growing body of descriptive ELF research that is now becoming available can add material to work in the field as a whole. This paper takes up three topics for discussion. The first is the circle models, which show the number of English users around the world. The second to identify which characterizations of English that make it a Global language. The last one is to do some research on Turkish English Language learners in university based level. The research proposes English as a lingua franca is an entirely natural development in the globalization of the language and proposed to reveal how and why English has become a lingua franca. Besides, it aims at presenting a panoramic view of the nature and role of English. After reviewing and concluding the survey composed of participants, the current study will bring to term by presenting a wide range of information, scientific knowledge, different kind of sources, and numerical tables. Key Words: The English language, lingua franca, (ELF), global language, English as an international language.
usually have in mind when we talk about English in expanding circle; Turkey, most people think that it is restricted to the anticipated level of English. The reason behind this is inconvenient and false consciousness teaching and learning methods in Turkey. I would like to remark systematic failure in English instructions in Turkey. However, English Language has been crucial point in most areas and considered obligatory need to find a work after graduation or more social areas such as communicating with foreigner or for tourist trade. Purpose of the Study The importance of this study is to find out one general and one interrelating factors of ELF both in the world based on different sources how English became the most common language and higher education with cultural based in Turkey. The purpose of this study is to inform the reader from historical to economic process of ELF. The paper aims at presenting a panoramic view of the nature and role of English. My aim is to investigate the opinions of Turkish English Language Learners on the role of ELF in their higher education. Research Questions
Literature Review To begin the definition of a language and how it is the common language, I find Crystal’ (2003) studies useful; ‘language has no independent existence, living some sort of mystical space apart from the people who speak. Language exists only in the brains, mounts, ears, hands, and eyes of its users. When they succeed, on the international stage, their language succeeds. When they fail, language fails.’(p, 12). It may need to be stated, because over the years many popular beliefs have developed about why a language should become internationally successful. It is often suggested that there must be something inherently logical about the structure of English in order to explain why it is so widely used. Kachru and Nelson (2001) has cautioned that in less than a lifetime, English has developed from ‘the native language of a relatively small island nation’ to ‘the most widely taught, read, and spoken language that the world has ever known’. It has spread through emigration, colonization, and globalization which have been obtained as a first, a second, and a foreign language so it has become a lingua franca. English has spread around the world, and it has transformed itself to accommodate particular local needs of expression. Graddol (2006) predicts that in the foreseeable future English will be a basic skill, not a special talent any longer. He even maintains that English will be a new baseline: without English, you are not even in the race. As I summarized Crystal’s research (2003), there are two main ways in which global language can be done. Firstly, a language can be made the official language of a country, used as a means of communication. For instance; government, the law courts, the media and the educational system. It is indispensable to control the formal language as early in life as possible. He also cautions that such a language is often described as a ‘second language’, yet it is seen as a complement to a person’s ‘mother tongue’ or ‘first language’. The role of an
various new circumstances and through contact with native languages and cultures has adjusted new forms, functions and purposes. For Crystal (2003), English language, the lingua franca of international communication has spread along with globalization, the question of how to answer to the challenges composed by globalization on language policy that has been on the agenda of many countries. Chang (2006), similarly, points out that ‘globalization has been functioning as a driving force to strengthen the position of English as a global language’. (p, 515) The spread of the English language has been the topic of numerous conferences and seminars in recent times. If we take the historical dimension of globalization, Prendergast’s (1998) research sums up the age of history of globalization, when English migrates to foreign countries, the various renascence of English share the medium but use it to express native and local communications. The different dialects of English serve as acts of identity. In this view, English is no longer a Western language with Western canonical city. Sidhwa (2000), cited in Yoneoka (2000), examines a similar note when he remarks, "the colonized have subjugated the English language, beaten it on its head and made it theirs, and in adapting it to their use, in hammering it sometimes on its head and sometimes twisting its tail, they have given it a new shape, substance and dimension". (p, 17) This is the one part of my study that I found from other researches’ papers. The second part of my paper demonstrates the influence of ELF both in Academic purposes and in higher education on Turkish English language learners. I will also link English Language within its culture to see how those are related with each other in a foreign country where English language is taught. To begin with Sarıçoban’s (2011) study, ‘students should see themselves responsible for learning the target culture since it is already embedded in what they learn and do in the
classroom. It makes sense to believe that whoever is learning the foreign language is also learning the cultural knowledge and skills required to be a competent L2/FL speaker denies the complexity of culture, language learning, and communication’. (p,14) He continues in his paper that culture learning is perceived as less feasible if confined to the classroom than language learning. It needs to be experiential with experience of the difference having to be at the centre of learners and teachers attention. New communication technologies are promoted as a means of overcoming distance and giving learners experience of interacting with native speakers. Email contacts, electronic conferencing and the Internet as a source of information are representative of this trend. (p,12) So with the help of technological devices ELF has doubled its usage in Turkey. On the other hand, Gudykunst and Kim (1992) argue that in intercultural interactions, two types of context come into play: external context and internal context. The former refers to the settings or locations where the interaction takes place and the meanings society attaches to them, whereas the latter, internal context is the culture the interactions bring to encounter. In intercultural communication, misunderstanding is much more likely to occur because the culture students were exposed may have an effect on the situations. Thus, it is essential for language learners to be effective in culture learning (Cited in Byram, M. and Feng, A, 2004:149-168). In recent times English language has brought number of changes in higher education all around the world. The important one is the increasing use of English as a lingua franca (ELF) as the medium of instruction. Yet nowadays, English partly became an academic communication and curriculum in Turkish universities. In my opinion, Lingua Franca in Academic purposes means the teaching of English to students who study outside English- speaking countries, for instance: Turkish students learning English in Turkey. In this respect, the instructions help students to use English effectively in their courses. But this needs to be
state two periods should be considered. From the end of World War II till the end of the seventies, English came to be prevalent in international politics, business exchanges, sciences, and information, the making of films and television programmes, popular songs. This prevalence can be directly attributed to the USA (p, 141-151). Thereafter the other step, which I will work on three types of circles are inner, outer and expanding circles. In Kachru’s (1992) survey, he summarized the study of world Englishes in terms of approaches so, according to him, the inner circle indicates the traditional cultural and linguistic distribution of English. Countries in this circle identified English as their native language. The outer circle specifies the countries accepted English as official and second language as a result of many years in colonization. Expanding circle shows the countries that use this language as a foreign language. Materials While researching, I will emphasize the certain information, scientific knowledge by using different kind of sources and numerical tables which show the three circles’ expansion in the countries. I will also use pictures to comprehend the history of English. There are 143 multiple choice questions with open ended questions that the participants include their opinion for each question. I also added cultural based questions as subheading. I tried to measure their interest in English Language. In addition, I explained the questions in Turkish so as not to have any misunderstandings. While researching, the study emphasizes on the certain information which are found in questionnaire. Participants This research is a survey study to explain why English has become lingua franca. In the beginning, I will choose a pilot class to carry out a questionnaire about English language
as a global language. As I would like to gain more academic knowledge, a questionnaire developed by the researcher and was conducted to 24 prep class students at Piri Reis University but who came from different regions of Turkey from East to West, North to South such as: Istanbul, Muğla, and İzmir, Hatay, Trabzon, Antalya, Kocaeli, Ankara and Erzurum. Participants studied at High School in their homeland but they study in the same University now. The average age of the students is 18-20. I plan to apply the survey within an hour in a classroom. The survey consists of multiple choices and the open-ended questions. Results and Discussion A questionnaire prepared by the researchers (see Appendix A). The questionnaire is related with the open-ended and close-ended questions. In the survey, the knowledge of the participants and their approaches English as a lingua franca were aimed to check. In the second part of the questionnaire participants asked multiple questions to evaluate their perspective. They were also asked to comment some of the questions honestly as a part of the study. According to the results of the questionnaire that I had, I began my survey by asking in which circumstances they use English. The participants selected mostly the option 3 which they would like to do research on the internet. English is both today’s technological ruler of the internet and the most common language used. As the Crystal (1997) determined that approximately, 40 percent of internet users around the world use English when they browse the web. The finding of my research study shares similarity to his claim.
Furthermore, I asked them a question, to know if they use any English words/ terms in their area of the study which they have incorporated into Turkish vocabulary. I divided this question’s options into three parts. The students are mostly fond of teaching activities.
Consequently, the research study may conclude that English has an important factor in education, due to the many developments on education. I have hardly any chance to practice my English. % I have misunderstanding about people who speak English as a native language. % I face some problems on spelling and phonetic. % In the second subtopic of my survey, Participants are asked 6 questions if they are interested in target language’s culture and most of them would like to gain cultural values in order to have different point of view about the world in addition to this, there are clearly defined answers that I can remark students do not think learning with its culture will affect them on the subject of losing their national identity. Conclusion In this paper, I have surveyed the essential parts of current research on ELF with the culture of English Language on Turkish college students. The research discussed the various means of globalization and the others now is to better comprehend the English language and ELF arguments, and better understand how the current conversion in English are parts of global trends. The research study has indicated that English would appear to be more appropriate in second language or foreign language than a description of English, which is still alive, or which has somewhat reduced and incomplete studies. Nevertheless, English language will sustain its importance in world communication, international business and other affairs. From my point of view, as far as the demand lasts, English will continue to be a means of world communication, which was assisted by the development of international media. In
Chang, J. (2006). Globalization and English in Chinese higher education. World Englishes, 25 (4), 513- Claude, T. (1994). ‘The Spread of English in Europe’ Journal of Europian Studies, 24, 141. Crystal, D. (1st^ Ed.) (1997). English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Firth, A. (1996). The Discursive accomplishment of Normality. On ‘lingua franca’ English and Conversation Analysis_. Journal of Pragmatics_ , 26, 237-59. Gudykunst, W. B. & Kim, Y. Y. (eds.). (1992). Reading on communicating with strangers : An approach to intercultural communication. New York: McGraw Hill. Graddol, D. (2006). English Next. London: British Council. Harley, D. (1990). The Condition of Post modernity. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. House, J. (2003). English as a lingua franca: A treat to Multilingualism? Journal of Sociolinguistics, 7, 556-578. Jenkins, J. (2003). World Englishes: A resource book for students. London: Routledge. Kachru, B. (2nd^ Ed.) (1992). The Other Tongue, English Across Cultures. University Illinois Press. Kachru, B. & Nelson, C. (2001). World Englishes. Analayzing English in a global context. London: Routledge. Platt, J. (1984) The New Englishes. London: Routledge.
Prendergast, D. (1998). Views on Englishes. Links & Letters 5, 225- Sarıçoban, A. (2011). The Influence of Target Culture on Language Learners, Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies 7, (1) 7- Yoneoka, J. (2000). Englishes in Asia. Japan: Kumamoto Gakuen University Press. Appendix A QUESTIONNAIRE As you may know, I am doing some research in the area of English as a lingua franca. I would be grateful if you could answer the following questions: Your Age: ........ Your Gender: ............. Your city: …………
o to continue with your post-graduate studies o to improve yourself in the language o to test my ability o a requirement for future job applications o for pleasure o other (please specify) ...................................................................................................
3. Do the words which you don’t understand about target language’s culture bother you? o a) Yes b) No c) Sometimes 4. What kind of contributions will you get by learning different cultural values? o a) It gives us different point of view about the world o b) It develops my critical thoughts. 5. While learning different culture, do you think you will lose your national identity? o a) Yes b) No c) Sometimes d) if yes why?.................................................................... 6. What kind of cultural problems do you usually face while learning a foreign language? o a) British - American course books wanted to teach only their culture o b) They don’t give importance to Turkish culture o c) It is not easy to orientate yourself into the new culture. Thank you for your co-operation
