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Children's use of English as lingua franca in Swedish preschools

Larsson, Karolina LU ; Björk-Willén, Polly LU ; Haraldsson, Katarina and Hansson, Kristina LU orcid (2023) In Multilingua 42(4). p.527-557
Abstract

This paper highlights a current phenomenon reported from preschools placed in multilingual areas in Sweden, namely that some preschoolers with mutually different language backgrounds sometimes use English as lingua franca instead of Swedish during play. The data stems from a study of language environments in Swedish preschools situated in both monolingual and multilingual areas. The analyses reveal that many children are influenced by the English language in both areas, but to a much greater extent in multilingual areas. An interesting situation arises when the majority language of society, which is also the language of education and lingua franca of the preschool, acquires a less prevailing role in children's accomplishment of everyday... (More)

This paper highlights a current phenomenon reported from preschools placed in multilingual areas in Sweden, namely that some preschoolers with mutually different language backgrounds sometimes use English as lingua franca instead of Swedish during play. The data stems from a study of language environments in Swedish preschools situated in both monolingual and multilingual areas. The analyses reveal that many children are influenced by the English language in both areas, but to a much greater extent in multilingual areas. An interesting situation arises when the majority language of society, which is also the language of education and lingua franca of the preschool, acquires a less prevailing role in children's accomplishment of everyday practices. Data show that the participating children are exposed to and speak English to a varying extent. They learn and teach each other English, and speak English in an array of pragmatic purposes; to position themselves in the social hierarchies of the preschool group, to create meaning within their shared peer culture and for the purpose of exclusion of intruders. English is also used as a secret language of friendship.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
English, lingua franca, multilingualism, preschool, secret language
in
Multilingua
volume
42
issue
4
pages
527 - 557
publisher
Mouton de Gruyter
external identifiers
  • scopus:85139492744
ISSN
0167-8507
DOI
10.1515/multi-2022-0062
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2f3135ce-a8dc-452f-9b5a-7480464d8c9d
date added to LUP
2022-12-13 12:49:08
date last changed
2023-10-26 14:55:35
@article{2f3135ce-a8dc-452f-9b5a-7480464d8c9d,
  abstract     = {{<p>This paper highlights a current phenomenon reported from preschools placed in multilingual areas in Sweden, namely that some preschoolers with mutually different language backgrounds sometimes use English as lingua franca instead of Swedish during play. The data stems from a study of language environments in Swedish preschools situated in both monolingual and multilingual areas. The analyses reveal that many children are influenced by the English language in both areas, but to a much greater extent in multilingual areas. An interesting situation arises when the majority language of society, which is also the language of education and lingua franca of the preschool, acquires a less prevailing role in children's accomplishment of everyday practices. Data show that the participating children are exposed to and speak English to a varying extent. They learn and teach each other English, and speak English in an array of pragmatic purposes; to position themselves in the social hierarchies of the preschool group, to create meaning within their shared peer culture and for the purpose of exclusion of intruders. English is also used as a secret language of friendship.</p>}},
  author       = {{Larsson, Karolina and Björk-Willén, Polly and Haraldsson, Katarina and Hansson, Kristina}},
  issn         = {{0167-8507}},
  keywords     = {{English; lingua franca; multilingualism; preschool; secret language}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{527--557}},
  publisher    = {{Mouton de Gruyter}},
  series       = {{Multilingua}},
  title        = {{Children's use of English as lingua franca in Swedish preschools}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/multi-2022-0062}},
  doi          = {{10.1515/multi-2022-0062}},
  volume       = {{42}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}