ABSTRACT

This paper revisits the tension in sociolinguistics between the linguistic capital associated with languages of socioeconomic mobility, and the cultural and identity value of local languages. With Malaysia as a case study, the paper shows that although this economy-versus-culture tension may be a go-to ideological paradigm in sociolinguistics for exploring and analyzing ideologies and beliefs vis-à-vis- language acquisition and language policy, it may not necessarily feature as saliently in grassroots perspectives. A series of group interviews was held with Malaysian youths who have experienced their government’s policy backflips on whether mathematics and science are taught in English (or in Bahasa Malaysia or in another medium-of-instruction) in primary and secondary schools. By asking these youths to reflect on their experiences, policy, and what language they would prefer for mathematics and science, the research reveals perspectives that more often fell outside the critical economy-versus-culture ideological continuum. Instead, the youths were sooner concerned with monolingual education facilitating expedited learning, with cognitive ease, and with fostering a consistent policy approach. The findings caution against assuming that economy-versus-culture is a key interest in the community regarding language policy, and encourage us to apply alternate, non-critical theoretical lenses to understand a broader range of bottom-up concerns.

摘要

本文回顾了与社会经济流动语言相关的语言资本与当地语言的文化和认同价值之间的社会语言学张力。以马来西亚为例，该论文表明，尽管这种经济与文化之间的紧张关系可能是社会语言学探索和分析针对语言习得和语言政策的意识形态和信念的理想意识形态范式，但它可能在基层观点中不一定具有显着特征。与经历过政府政策后遗症的马来西亚年轻人进行了一系列小组访谈，讨论了在中小学是否以英语（或在马来西亚语或其他教学语言中）教授数学和科学。通过要求这些年轻人反思他们的经验，政策，以及他们更喜欢数学和科学的语言，该研究揭示了一些观点，这些观点更多地属于关键的经济与文化意识形态连续性。取而代之的是，年轻人早就关注单语教育，以促进快速的学习，认知的轻松以及培养一致的政策方法。研究结果提醒人们不要假设经济与文化是社区在语言政策方面的主要兴趣所在，并鼓励我们运用其他非批判性的理论视角来理解更广泛的自下而上的担忧。这些年轻人很快就开始关注单语教育，以促进快速的学习，认知的轻松性以及培养一致的政策方法。该发现提醒我们不要假设经济与文化是社区在语言政策方面的主要兴趣所在，并鼓励我们运用其他非批判性的理论视角来理解更广泛的自下而上的担忧。这些年轻人很快就开始关注单语教育，以促进快速的学习，认知的轻松性以及培养一致的政策方法。研究结果提醒人们不要假设经济与文化是社区在语言政策方面的主要兴趣所在，并鼓励我们运用其他非批判性的理论视角来理解更广泛的自下而上的担忧。