WhenEnglish just is not enough: ‘Multilingualism withEnglish’ in contemporaryEuropean higher education

Abstract

English proficiency is viewed across societal levels as a necessary commodity for accessing the best educational and professional prospects. The high value associated with English as symbolic capital may be seen to impact negatively upon the promotion of individual and societal multilingualism beyond an emergent dominant pattern of L1+English. To date, few empirical studies have been conducted into the ecology and ideologies that prevail within European English‐medium degree programmes regarding English and the concomitant acquisition of additional languages. On the basis of empirical data generated from questionnaires and semi‐structured interviews, this paper explores the experiences of students and lecturers within English‐medium degree programmes in Germany as they negotiate their English‐speaking environments and explores their practices of multilingualism beyond their L1 and English.

“We are not the language police”: Comparing multilingual EMI programmes in Europe and Asia

“…At the level of practice the dominant role of English in all aspects of these EMI programmes was confirmed. However, similar to Mortensen's () study in Denmark and Earls () in Germany, there was much more multilingualism reported than seemingly consciously recognised by the participants, particularly in group work, side‐talk and socialising (all important aspects of academic life). This included the use of participants L1 as well as the local L1 where it was different to the participants L1 and English.…”

“…A nascent body of research has investigated the multilingual nature of EMI; however, findings have been very mixed with different levels of recognition from stakeholders as well as both positive and negative responses and further research is needed (e.g. Dafouz, Hüttner, & Smit, 2016;Doiz, Lasagabaster, & Sierra, 2013;Earls, 2016;Mortensen, 2014).…”

Forum on English‐medium Instruction

“…This, of course, is something that sociolinguists and applied linguists have sought to challenge for decades; more vigorously and influentially so in recent years. Although English may feature prominently ideologically and officially in the internationalized university, ethnographic research has shown that, in practice, a much greater variety of languages is drawn on, institutionally as well as individually (Earls, 2016;Mortensen, 2014;S€ oderlundh 2012). The focus in some areas of research is moving away from languages as discrete entities that exist outside of usage towards the considerably more hybrid practices on the ground (Canagarajah, 2017;Garcia & Li 2014;Jørgensen, 2003;Jørgensen, Karrebaek, Madsen, & Møller, 2011).…”