Cultural Sustainability in a Transition Society: Relations between Foreign Languages and Geo-Cultural Self-Position in Estonia

Masso, Anu; Tender, Tõnu

doi:10.18848/1832-2077/cgp/v03i03/54372

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In this study, we focus on the role of instructional language in the formation of ethno-cultural identity in Russian-language upper-secondary schools undergoing the transition to the Estonian-instruction language. Studies carried out in Estonia have, so far, analyzed the appreciation for Russian as a mother tongue (Pavelson & Jedomskihh, 1998), the fears of losing Russian profi ciency given the change of instructional language (Vihalemm, 2002); and, in general, the self-defi nitions of the Russianspeaking population (Masso & Vihalemm, 2003;Masso & Tender, 2007;Vihalemm & Masso, 2007). Th e role of the language of instruction in the development of ethnic identity has been examined only in a few studies (Soll, 2006(Soll, , 2012, which have concluded that the language of instruction does not have a direct impact on the formation of ethno-cultural identity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ent uurimistulemused (Verkuyten, 2005) on näidanud ka seda, et emakeeleoskus ei pruugi mõjutada oma etnilise rühma väärtustamist, sest etnilise rühma kohta võidakse teadmisi omandada ka teiste keelte vahendusel. Eestis tehtud uuringutes on analüüsitud vene keele kui emakeele väärtustamist (Pavelson & Jedomskihh, 1998), hirme keeleoskuse kadumise pärast eestikeelsele õppele üleminekul (Vihalemm, 2002) ja (venekeelse elanikkonna) enesemääratlusviise üldiselt (Masso & Vihalemm, 2003;Masso & Tender, 2007;Vihalemm & Masso, 2007). Samas leidub vaid üksikuid uuringuid, mis on keskendunud õppekeele rollile identiteediloomes.…”

unclassified

See 1 more Smart Citation

Õppekeele roll Eesti venekeelsete õpilaste etnokultuurilise identiteedi kujunemisel

Soll¹,

Salvet²,

Masso³

2014

EHA

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Artiklis analüüsitakse vene emakeelega abiturientide etnokultuurilise identiteedi kujunemist eri õppekeelte kontekstis. Etnokultuurilist identiteeti on artiklis mõistetud kompleksse sotsiaalpsühholoogise (Verkuyten, 2005) ja kommunikatiivse nähtusena (Luhmann, 2002). Empiirilise alusena on kasutatud kirjaliku võrguintervjuu meetodit. Valimi moodustavad eesti ja eesti-vene õppekeelega ning keelekümblust kasutavate koolide/klasside abituriendid (n = 14), kes on pärit Eesti eri piirkondadest (Tallinnast, Tartust, Ida-Virumaalt). Vastuseid otsitakse järgmistele uurimisküsimustele: 1) millised on noorte etnokultuurilised enesemääratlusviisid? 2) milline on õppekeele osa etnokultuuriliste enesemääratlusviiside kujunemisel? Analüüsis eristus kolm enesemääratlusviisi: kindel vene etnokultuuriline, ebakindel eesti-vene ning alternatiivne, ambivalentne identiteet. Analüüs näitab, et ei ametlik õppekeel ega ka õppekeelega rahulolu ei määra otseselt, kellena ja milliste tunnuste kaudu end määratletakse, küll aga võib kool toetada keele kui olulise identiteedi referentsi oskust ning õpilaste keelelise ja kultuurilise tõlkimise võimet. Summary

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

unclassified

Õppekeele roll Eesti venekeelsete õpilaste etnokultuurilise identiteedi kujunemisel

Soll¹,

Salvet²,

Masso³

2014

EHA

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…as well as via interpretations of identifying categories and associative projective techniques employed in earlier quantitative studies (cf. Masso et al 2003Masso et al , 2007 and qualitative studies (Masso 2002). Interviews were conducted in Estonian (3) or Russian (11) depending on the interviewees' preferences.…”

Section: Methods and Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, the Russian-language population of Estonia may perceive activities targeted at developing Estonian language skillsfor example, the transition to instruction in Estonian -as pressure and a risk to their mother tongue and ethnic identity (Vihalemm 2011, Tallinna noorte 2006. Other studies have analysed the value attached to Russian as a mother tongue (Pavelson and Jedomskihh 1998); concerns about losing command of Russian due to the transition to instruction in Estonian (Vihalemm 1999); and the selfdetermination strategies of the Russian-language population in general (Masso and Vihalemm 2003, Masso and Tender 2007. Also, international studies (Murtagh et al 2012) have indicated that changes affecting one's selfidentification and status may give rise to opposition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in Language Policy in Estonia: Self-Descriptions of Russian-Speaking Students

Soll¹,

Salvet²,

Masso³

2015

Trames

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study concentrates on one of the most drastic changes in Estonian language policy since the country regained its independence-the change in the language of instruction in Russian-medium schools. The Estonian example is rather unique internationally since the minority group can choose different languages of instruction for schooling. We focus on students' ethno-cultural self-descriptions as one indicator for studying the change in the language of instruction. We use the online interview method as an empirical basis; the sample consists of graduates from upper-secondary schools/classes with various languages of instruction (Estonian, Russian, language immersion) situated in various regions of Estonia (monolingual vs bilingual everyday setting; n = 14). The results of the analysis reveal the relationships between ethno-cultural self-descriptions and attitudes to the changes in the language of instruction. The ethno-cultural self-descriptions in turn are expressed in terms of general social affiliation (media habits, future plans and affiliation with Estonia). We conclude that the transition to Estonian-language instruction has failed in terms of communication, since a focus on instrumental rather than ethno-cultural issues can lead to the weak social affiliation of individual students.

show abstract

“…(T. Vihalemm, Masso, P.Vihalemm 2004, Lauristin 2004). More recent analysis has indicated that as the transition progresses the instrumental meaning of language may diminish and the symbolic meaning may increase (Masso, Tender 2007).…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

About the Linguistic Constitution of Social Space: The Case of Estonia

Masso¹,

Tender²

2008

Trames

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The article uses a theory of social space by Henri Lefebvre and is based on the assumption that analysing motivations for foreign language learning could help to understand the changes in social space. Using Estonia as an empirical example we are arguing that the country is moving from a transitional phase of social space to a posttransitional phase, i.e. the fast changes in language learning motivations and curricula, as well as the increasing number of personal or mediated contacts with different countries are replaced by a relative 'calming down' of social space, where the individual relationships with the geo-cultural world are developing. Using qualitative in-depth interviews as the empirical basis, the analysis found four different individual linguistic-spatial strategiesspatial production based on unchanging morphologies; spatial production based on historical and power connotations; spatial production based on connotations of consumerism and spatial production based on cultural meanings. In our opinion, the last strategy supports social change most positively. Taking into account the importance of the consumerist and spatial meanings of language, we believe that these aspects should be taken into account in developing language policies.

show abstract

Cultural Sustainability in a Transition Society: Relations between Foreign Languages and Geo-Cultural Self-Position in Estonia

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Õppekeele roll Eesti venekeelsete õpilaste etnokultuurilise identiteedi kujunemisel

Õppekeele roll Eesti venekeelsete õpilaste etnokultuurilise identiteedi kujunemisel

Changes in Language Policy in Estonia: Self-Descriptions of Russian-Speaking Students

About the Linguistic Constitution of Social Space: The Case of Estonia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About