Shaping the climate for language shift? English in Sweden’s elite domains

Abstract

This paper investigates how and to what degree English is used in specific elite domains in Sweden through analysis of (1) language requirements to participate in undergraduate and graduate programs at competitive institutions; and (2) language qualifications and language use patterns in elite professions. We find that English is used pervasively, but not exclusively. The paper also explores to what extent these language use patterns in elite domains suggest that language shift toward English in Sweden might take place in the future. Although our data indicate that functional dominance of English is far from complete, we argue that the fact that English holds a prominent position in certain elite domains might be significant in influencing language ideology. Furthermore, whereas Sweden cannot presently be characterized as a nation undergoing language shift, the high status of English as the language of international communication and its significance as an important channel of communication in many elite domains are possibly important factors in shaping the climate for language use patterns of the coming decades.

Learners’ Attitudes Toward “English-Only” Institutional Policies: Language Use Outside the Classroom

“…Indeed, when teachers view students' L1s as if they were an enemy or a taboo, students may take a defensive stance, which may cause their opposition to institutional rules and policies, tension in their relationships with instructors, and loss of motivation (Shvidko et al, 2015). Moreover, imposing a language policy that prohibits the use of learners' L1 assumes power and inequality (Berg, Hult, & King, 2001;Cheng, 2012;Hilliard, 2015;Song, 2011). Therefore, it is important that teachers and administrators establish the type of learning environment that diminishes power relations between English and students' L1 and values learners' linguistic and cultural backgrounds (Kubota & Lehner, 2005).…”

English in Turkey

“…These scholars use English to teach, read, publish, and present their work internationally and thus require a higher level of proficiency in the language. Increasing internalization in academics seems to create a context in which national languages then become subordinate to English, resulting in a diglossic situation in academe (Berg, Hult, and King, 2001). In the elite universities in Turkey where the medium of instruction is English, there is pressure on faculty to publish internationally in order to receive promotion, thus the system elevates English to the high language of academic communication and promotion while Turkish is made the low language for this context.…”

Swedish television as a mechanism for language planning and policy

“…Genres include information and entertainment, with many popular British and US shows such as Emmerdale, Parkinson, The West Wing, Without a Trace, and The Sopranos, among others. This salience of English material on SVT contributes to the strong position that the English language holds in Sweden, which has also been identified in other domains such as higher education, commerce, and urban life (e.g., Berg, Hult & King 2001;Gunnarsson & Öhman 1997;Hollqvist 1984;Hult 2009). Still, it is worth pointing out that English-language content only amounts to an eight-year average of 13.6% of the total hours broadcast on SVT.…”