Interview with an English Language Learner: TRANSCRIPT and

COMMENTS
This is my interview for the assignment for Language: Theory, Acquisition and
Development and today I will be interviewing Narly who grew up in Dubai and prior
to that she was born in Sri Lanka. She then moved to Sydney about 8 years ago?
About 10 years ago
Ive known Nepalee for 8-9 years and weve been really good friends for that time.
Today you are going to learn a little bit about her life and her learning of the
English language and various other languages that she has encountered along the
way.
So First of all, Narly, as we have discussed, the purpose of this interview is for me
to gain an understanding of your English experience and your learning of English.
Do you give me permission to use this interview and details in my assignment for
this uni subject?
Yes
First of all, can you tell me about your early childhood years in relation to
language?
I grew up in SL and I learnt English from Kindy where it was learnt as a subject
Prior to that, what was your dominant language?
Id say Singhalese which is the dominant language in SL
Did you have much interaction with English speakers prior to going to school?
I think just my parents and my family.
So they were all fluent in English?
Yes
When you went to school in SL, what kind of school did you go to?
I went to a Singhalese school. Everything was taught in Singhalese, but English was a subject.
So English was a subject that you were taught at school. Was it more of a formal
English?
Yes, formal English
So would you say your learning of the English language was more through formal
lessons, or interaction with English speakers growing up?
I think through formal lessons first. My parents really wanted to develop what I learnt from
formal lessons at home as well so they constantly got me to talk in English at home. I would
speak in Singhalese as well but because they wanted me to perfect the English language,
they got me to speak in English at home
So once you hit school age you were immersed in an English speaking
environment, so I would assume that helped you do develop your English skills?
Yea, they got me to read books, speak English at home
And I know you moved around a bit growing up. So you were born in SL, where did
you go after SL?

I was born in Sl and at the age of 8 or 9 I moved to Dubai. I was there for 10 years before I
moved to the States for a bit. Then I moved to Canada for just over a year, then we moved
back to Dubai
So Dubai is obviously an Arabic speaking country
Yes
So at the time you moved there you had Singhalese, you had English. Were you
quite fluent in English at that time?
Yes
And now youre being introduced to Arabic?
Yes
So what kind of school did you attend while you were in Dubai?
I attended an English speaking school. It was called Arab Unity School. So it was known as an
Arabic school but all the lessons were conducted in English
Ok, and did you learn Arabic at the school?
I did. In fact, it was mandatory. I had to learn it and I had to pass the Arabic subject in order to
proceed to the next grade.
Oh wow, so learning Arabic was also a big part of your life?
Yes
So, you were also immersed in an Arabic speaking community. At the time, were
you quite good at understanding what was being said around you?
I was good, but I was good in order to pass the subject. There was no desire to learn more
about it. It was more to get to the next grade, or pass that grade.
So do you feel you learn Arabic in such a way that if you heard people speaking
now that you would be able to understand what was being said?
I think I would understand a little bit, but I wouldnt sound fluent. I wouldnt say I could speak
it.
Did you ever conduct conversations in Arabic while living in Dubai?
Yea, in classes I did
So how long were you there?
Close to 15 years
So in your early 20s you knew Singhalese, English and some Arabic?
Yes
Wow, thats quite a few languages there. You said you moved around a bit also. You
went to US. Where were you?
Boston
And then Canada?
Yes
So 2 English speaking countries. Do you feel that your time in the English speaking
countries really cemented your understanding of the English language

I think so, but I also think it was cemented before. My parents really embedded this into me.
They really wanted me to learn English and be fluent, so I think I grasped that before I moved.
And then you moved to Australia. Was that for study purposes?
Yes, it was because I wanted to go to uni and I wanted to get an Aussie education
Do you feel that the English you had coming into Sydney, in terms of you academic
education, was substantial enough to get you through your studies?
I think it was substantial, but it was a very different English
In what way?
The English that I learnt in school was very American or British. When I was in Dubai, it was
more British. The Australian language here is very different
In what way do you think its different?
Just the different terms. It took me a while to get used to it
So I guess you kind of had to learn a new culture and the way that we speak
Yea
That would have been a bit difficult.
Yea
You were talking before about the type of English you were taught in Dubai,
compared to the type of English needed here for your university studies. You were
telling me that you thought it was a bit more academic in Dubai. What was the
expectation there?
Just an example, I had to do an interview before I came to Sydney and the expectation was
just really formal English. So this was in Dubai with Dubai officials giving the interview. So the
expectation was really formal, old English but here it is really laid back. Its a very different
English to what they teach in Dubai. An example is that we couldnt even say umm in
between the construction of a sentence. It was a big no no. You were expected to be able to
start and finish your sentence without saying ummm. Simple things like that.
So do you think you acquisition of the English language was brought about more
through formal lessons, or more through the immersion into and English speaking
community? Or was it a mix of both?
I think it was more so formal lessons than it was the mix of the community
And Ive known you for quite some time and I know that you are quite particular
when it comes to grammar and the way we speak English. Is that because of your
education?
Yes, I think it stems from that
Is there anything you would like to add about the way you learned English? Or
about any difficulties you had?
I wouldnt say it was difficult because my parents really embedded that since I was a child so I
wouldnt say it was really difficult. I would say the difficulty was understanding the types of
English language used in different countries
So your learning was quite a natural experience?
Yes. The English in Canada was very different to that English here. For example, in Dubai we
dont use the word sore. We use the word pain or itch. But we dont use sore. When someone

ised the word sore, I understood what in meat within the context of the sentence, but I found
it really odd. So words I wouldnt have used before, I now use
In terms of your Arabic learning, would you say that was a less natural experience
for you
Yes
Why do you think that is?
Because deep down it was more of a requirement for me at school and I couldnt really
connect with the language and I didnt find it enjoyable
And you were a little bit older there as well
Yes, I was a liitle older
And your parents didnt speak it at home at all?
No
So that probably made it a bit more difficult?
Yes
Did your family learn Arabic while they were in Dubai?
No
So you only really experienced that language in the formal school envorinment.
Yes
So in your family life you werent really immersed in the Arabic language so you
didnt really ..
Yea and it was mandatory and I had to pass it. I didnt like that. It was more something I had
to do rather than something I wanted to do.
Did you feel that you kind of wanted to do it considering you lived in such an
Arabic speaking country? Did you feel that you needed an understanding of Arabic
in order to survive?
No, no I never felt that way
So there were lots of English speakers over there?
Yes, even though Arabic is the main language in Dubai, I never felt that I had to learn it on
order to live in the country
So how about now? You live in Sydney, an English speaking country. Obviously you
still speak Singhalese occasionally, but what is your dominant language at home?
I would say that the dominant language is now English
And is that something that changed over time? Im sure that when you were
younger that it would have been Singhalese.
Yea, I think when I was younger I let go of the Singhalese language as I was learning English.
My parents also spoke it at home, and I learnt it at school. I was so exposed to the English
language that I just started speaking it more regularly, then it became my dominant language
at home
When you were younger, did you used to think in Singhalese?? And that changed,
over time, to English?
I think that some terms, and some situations, yes

So you still occasionally think in Singhalese?

Yea, I think there are some things that I can explain better, like jokes. Or certain situations I
can explain better in Singhalese. But mostly I think in English.
Its very valuable having lots of different languages, and Im sure youre thankful
for your language experiences.
Yes, I am
Well, thank you so much for joining us today for this interview, it has been great
getting to know more about you.
Thank you