FromDestroyertoPolyglot LinaShehu LING8630:SecondLanguageAcquisition HeekyeongLee,Ph.D.

March15th2013 Title:FromDestroyertoPolyglot

FromDestroyertoPolyglot

Ichosemyparticipant,BardhShehu,becauseIfindhimfascinating.Imust,however,

admittocertainmythsabouthispersonifIamtostrivetocreateasobjectiveareportas possible.Bardhismybrother,andasitisineveryfamily,eachsiblingisattributedand adoptscertaincharacteristics.Bardhisthemiddlechildandatroublemakerinmyparents eyes.Ifeversomethingwentwrongathome,sayabrokenwindow,hewasthefirst questionedandusuallytheguiltyparty.MygreatauntnicknamedhimDmtar,destroyer inAlbanian,becausesupposedlyhebrokeasetofherchinadisheswithinminutesof steppinginherhouse.Hisother,moredesirabletraitwasanaturalandremarkable intelligence.Hedoesntevenneedtostudy,Iwouldoftenlament,andsomehowhewasat thetopofhisclass,spokebeautifulAlbanian,gainedfluencyinSerboCroatianby4thgrade, andimpressiveproficiencyinEnglishbyhighschool.Icertainlyneversawhimsitdownto study,andconcludedalongwitheveryoneelsethatlanguageacquisitioncametohim naturallyandeffortlessly. ItwasntuntiladulthoodthatIrealizedthewaysinwhichthesemythsobscured

Bardhsdedicationandloveforlanguages.Yes,hedoeshaveanaturalproclivityfor languagesbutheisalsoanexceptionallyhardworker.Intelligence,andtalentarenotstatic, evenGlennGouldpracticedpiano10hoursday.Bardhscommitmenttolanguage acquisitionspansoverthreedecades,butbecausehefeelssuchpassionforlanguage,he doesnotassociateitwithwork.InmyonehourinterviewwithBardh,Ifoundthree constructstobeofexceptionalimportanceinhislanguagelearnerhistory:BonnyNortons socialidentityandinvestment,PierreBourdieusnotionoflanguageandsymbolicpower, andCoffeyandStreetsnarrativestudies.AttheendofthispaperIwilladdresssome

FromDestroyertoPolyglot implicationsforlanguageteachingandpedagogy,andhowanunderstandingofthe constructsabovewillaidfutureeducatorsinamoreeffectivelanguageclassroom. SituatingtheParticipant Bardhisa38yearoldKosovarAlbanian,currentlylivinginthecapital,Prishtina,

withhiswifeandtwosons.Theireconomicstatusismiddleclass.Bardhhasalawdegree buthedoesnotpracticebecauseashesaidItisfinanciallymoreadvantageoustodowhatI dothantopracticelaw.Hehashadseveraljobsinthelastdecade,startingwithEnglish andAmericanforeignorganizationaftertheNATObombingsin1999,whereheservedas translator/interpreter,andlaterwasinvolvedinrefugeeresettlement.Duringthelastfive yearshehasworkedforPrishtinasofficeoflabormanagement.Additionally,andforextra income,hetranslatesmedical,laworanyotherkindoftextfromEnglishtoSerboCroatian orAlbanianandviceversa. BardhwasborninGjakova,asmalltowninwesternKosovoandreceivedhis

elementaryeducation,grades14intheAlbanianlanguage.Hedidnotbeginhisformal instructioninSerboCroatianuntil4thgrade,butbythenhereportsthathewasmorethan proficientinthelanguage. Bardh:IrememberfirstdayofSerboCroatianclass,Nada,shewasourteacher.She askedifsomeonewouldreadapassageanditwasdeadsilence.Noonewantedto readorknewhow.AndthenIraisedmyhand,and(laughter)everyonestaredatme. BythetimeIwasdone,Nadaseyeswereverywide.Amazing,shesaid,justamazing. Thatwasagoodday(InterviewwithBardh,March13th,2013)

FromDestroyertoPolyglot Lina:Howdoyouaccountforyourproficiency? Bardh:Well,dadhadwalltowallbooksinSerboCroatian,remember?Cometo

thinkofit,IdontthinkhehadbooksinAlbanianmaybeafew.SoIdreadabunch. Didntunderstandmuchcauseyouknow(laughter)theywerebooksby SolzhenitsynorChekhovorwhatever,butIreademanyway.AndthenTVwas mostlySerbianstuff.Moviesandsuch.AlwaysinSerbian.Ilovedmovies,soyeah,Id watchwhateverwason.(InterviewwithBardh,March13th,2013) Bardhsfatherwasanaccountantbuthealsoworkedvariousotherjobsatdifferent

times:heworkedforatheater,taughtatalocalhighschoolandwasvicepresidentfora tilemakingcompany.Mr.ShehusformaleducationwasmostlyinSerboCroatianbecause atthetime,inthe50sand60s,highereducation(highschoolandbeyond)intheAlbanian languagewasveryrare.Albanianwasspokenathome,butMr.Shehuwouldoftentelljokes inSerboCroatianortalktohiswifeinSerboCroatianifhedidntwanthischildrento understand.Aspreviouslymentioned,hehadanimpressivelibraryandwasavoracious reader.Bardhremembersthathisfathersworstinsultaboutapersonistosayhehas neverreadabookinhislife.Mr.ShehuwasalsoverystrictaboutthekindofAlbanianhis childrenspokeandwouldscoffatthelocalvarietywhichheconsideredsubstandardand unacceptable. BardhcreditshisacquisitionofSerboCroatiantoreadingbooksinSerbian,

exposuretomediaandtolisteningtoandmimickinghisfather. HetellsasimilarstoryaboutEnglish.BythetimeformalinstructioninEnglish

beganin5thgrade,hefeltmoreateasehavingaconversationinEnglishthanhisteacher.

FromDestroyertoPolyglot Lina:CanyoutellmehowandwhenyoustartedstudyingEnglish? Bardh:Istartedstudyingatschool,butfirstcontactwithEnglishwasthrough media.Thefirstexperiencewaswithmovies,firstmoviewasTarzan,blackand

white,theoldversion.JohnnyWeissmuller.Ourdadwasannouncingitassomebig happening.Sosimpledialogue.MeTarzan,youJane.(laughter)Othermoviestoo Englishsoundedgoodtome.Camenaturallytome,Ididntmakeanefforttolearn. By5thgrade,Ialreadyspokeatthesamelevelasmyteacher.Hehadnoidea.I rememberaskingsomesillyquestionandhehadnoideaWell,asIsaidearlierit justcamenaturally,Idontknowhowithappenedbutitcamenaturally.(Interview withBardh,March13th,2013) BardhseducationinEnglishcontinuedthroughhighschool,collegeandthen

throughwork.HehasnativeproficiencyinbothEnglishandSerboCroatian;heisasour friendsandfamilysay,goodwithlanguages.Mydata,however,revealmuchmorethan justlanguageaptitude,butacomplexinterplaybetweeneverchangingsocialidentities necessitatedthroughlanguagelearning. DataCollectionandAnalysis TheinterviewwasconductedviaSkypeandrecordedwithAudacity.Thefirst

interviewlastedaround15minutes,withfrequentinterruptionsbyBardhstwoyearold son.Thesecondlastedalittleoveranhourwithoutinterruptions.Bothinterviewswere conductedtheweekofMarch11th.Iwantedmyquestionstobeasopenendedaspossible, becauseIwantedtheparticipanttoguidetheinterview,andgivehimachancetospeakas

FromDestroyertoPolyglot muchashewanted.Myfirstquestionswere:Canyoutellmehowandwhenyoufirst startedstudyingEnglish?Howdoyouaccountforyourproficiency?Canyouthinkofany consciousstrategiesyouadoptedwhenstudyingforeignlanguages?

Theinterviewrevealedafewunexpectedthings,whichwillbediscussedindetailin

thenextsection.ButifIamtosummarizethelessonIlearnedfromthisinterviewisthat eventhemostgiftedlanguagelearnermuststillworkatitandforalongtime. DiscussionoftheFindings CoffeyandStreet(2008),writethattheaimoftheirstudy,wastounderstandhow

theexperienceoflanguagelearningwasdiscursivelyconstructedthroughrecourseto particularculturalworldsandnarrativestrategies.(p.452)Thelanguagelearnerhistories oftwooftheirparticipants,PaulandSue,revealjusthowtheirrespectiveinterestin GermanandFrenchwasmeansofamultipleidentityconstruction;eitherasawaytostand apartfromfellowBritons,oranaffiliationwithaculturebelievedtobemoreinteresting. ThesearebutafewexamplesofCoffeyandStreetsresearch,whichaddressesidentity changeandtransformationduringtheprocessofbecomingbilingual.Ifoundsimilar constructsduringmyinterviewwithBardh,becauseinterestinEnglishbeganasan attempttoescapeafrustratingfamilylifeandanequallyconfiningenvironmentoutsidethe home. Bardh:IhadatapecassetteofJimMorrisonssongsandpoetry,andIdlistentothat overandoveragainforhoursandhoursIdwriteeveryworddownandthentry toreaditmimickinghisaccentasmuchaspossible.Ididntunderstandlike80

FromDestroyertoPolyglot percentofthewords,butIdontknowitdidntmatter.Ithoughthewascooland liketalkingaboutimportantthingsthatAmericansdo.Likereallycoolthings.Ifelt likeIwasoneofthemofAmericansImean.Like,Idbewelcomedortheyd understandme.Justthiselaboratefantasy. Lina:WereyouunhappyinGjakova?

Bardh:OhGod,yes.Imean,notlikeeveryday,Iwasakid,butyeah,alwayswanted togetout.(InterviewwithBardh,March13th,2013) ThisexcerptshowshowforBardh,theEnglishlanguagewasapossibilityofescapeto

aplacewherehewouldbewelcomedandunderstood.HesaysthatEnglishcamenaturally andalmosteffortlesslytohim,buthealsosoughtouteveryopportunitytostudyEnglish, eitherthroughmusic,mediaorbooks.Hecomparestheprocessofbecomingfluentin EnglishandSerboCroatiantofallinginlove.Hesimplyreveledinit.Manywouldcredit Bardhssuccessinlanguageacquisitiontointrinsicmotivation,andalthoughthatispartof hissuccess,theconceptofintrinsicmotivationislimitingforitdoesnotconsiderthesocio culturalcontextofthelanguagelearner,northeirmultipleidentitiesalteredand transformed.Norton(1995),writes,SLAtheoristshavenotdevelopedacomprehensive theoryofsocialidentitythatintegratesthelanguagelearnerandthelanguagelearning context.InBardhsparticularcasethelanguagelearningcontexthasmuchtodowithhis developmentasalanguagelearner,preciselybecausebylearningEnglishheenactedan identitythatwasdifferent,free,creative,thingswhichinhismindwerenotnurturedinhis nativecountry. Nortonalsoproblematizestheideaofmotivationbecauseitdoesnotconsiderthe

FromDestroyertoPolyglot

complexrelationshipbetweenlanguagelearning,identityandpower.Instead,informedby socialtheoryandtheworkbyPierreBourdieu,Nortonproposestheconceptionof investment,whichsituatesthelanguagelearnerwithinhissocioculturalmilieu.Shewrites, Itakethepositionthatiflearnersinvestinasecondlanguage,theydosowiththe understandingthattheywillacquireawiderrangeofsymbolicandmaterialresources, whichwillinturnincreasethevalueoftheirculturalcapital.(p.17)Englishwasonits waytobecomingthelinguafrancaoftechnology,thelanguageofbusiness,andpossible employment.Bardhwantedtobeapartofthatworldofinnovators,travelersandpowerful men,whoallseemedtospeakEnglish.BytheendofwarinKosovoin1999,hislovefor EnglishhadincreasedanddedicationintensifiedbecauseheregardedAmericansas liberatorsfromSerbianoppression.Englishhadbecomethesymbolforfreedom. Nortonsconceptofsocialidentityandinvestmentisheavilyinfluencedbythework

ofPierreBourdieu.Bourdieu(2006),extendsthenotionofcapitaltoincludesocial, symbolicandculturalcapital.Furthermoreapersonsclassisnotonlyeconomically determinedbutbythetypeofcapitalhe/sheenactsthroughsocialrelations.Accordingto Bourdieu,languageisrarelyonlymeansofcommunication: Inadditiontotheinformationexpresslydeclaredlinguisticpracticeinevitably communicatesinformationaboutthe(differential)mannerofcommunicating,i.e., abouttheexpressivestyle,whichbeingperceivedandappreciatedwithreferenceto theuniverseoftheoreticallyorpracticallycompetingstyles,takesonasocialvalue andasymbolicefficacy.(p.480)

FromDestroyertoPolyglot Inotherwords,linguisticpracticeisnotmerelyasumofyourwordsandtheir

meaning,butmeaningisassignedbythewayyouspeak,howyourspeechisperceivedand receivedbyaheareroracommunity,andthesocialvalueassignedtoyourlinguistic practicewithinthecontextatlarge.HereImustreturntoBardhsacquisitionofSerbo Croatian. Lina:Wedidntgrowupinadiversecommunity,howdidyougainfluency rarelycommunicatingwithspeakersofSerbian? Bardh:IhadthisonefriendwhohadlikeaclosetfullofcomicsinSerboCroatian. AndIlovedcomics.HehadZagor,Mr.No,AlanFord,MartyMystery,justeverything. HissisterlivedinZagreb(capitalofCroatia)andwouldsendcomicsover.He literallyhadhundredsandwedspendhourseverydayreading.IthinkImemorized most,itwassomuchfun.Andmyfriendwasprettymuchtheonlyonewho understoodSerbian,sothatwasnice,wehadthisconnection.(Interviewwith Bardh,March13th,2013) Duringthistime,198485,theSerboCroatianlanguagestillenjoyedconsiderable while

prestigeinAlbaniancommunities.SerboCroatianwastheofficiallanguageofthecountry, andAlbanianswhospokethelanguagewerewellrespected.Itwasespeciallyprestigious foranAlbanianfromBardhstown,Gjakova,tospeakSerboCroatian,becauseunlikemany othercitiesinKosova,GjakovawaspredominantlyAlbanian,withasmallandisolated Serbianneighborhood.Bardhandhisfriend,astheonlytwointheschoolwhospoke SerboCroatian,wereabletofosteranidentitythatwasapartanddifferentfromtherest.

FromDestroyertoPolyglot Hedescribestheactofgoingtohisfriendshouse,asanexciting,secretiveadventure. Bardhalsoadmitsthatthetwoofthemfeltsuperiortotherestoftheclassmateswho couldntspeakthelanguage,therebytheactofspeakingSerboCroatianincreasedtheir culturalcapital.

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IaskedBardhifhecouldtellmeabouthislearningstrategies,andwhathereported

wasavoraciousdesiretoknoweverythingaboutfirsttheSerboCroatianlanguageand laterEnglishbecauseitmadelifesomuchmoreinteresting. Bardh:Eventoday,althoughtherearetranslationsofsayFrenchnovelsinAlbanian, IalmostalwayschoosetheSerbiantranslation,cause,wellitiscomfortingand remindsmeofmychildhoodanddadslibrary,andIdontknowIjustlikethem better.OfcourseIlovemynativelanguagemore,butIwasintroducedtoliterature throughtextsinSerboCroatian,intothisotherworld,thisfantasticalanddefinitely moreexcitingworld.(InterviewwithBardh,March13th,2013) Bardhcouldnotrememberemployingparticularlearningstrategies,butheis

certainlythemostdedicatedlanguagelearnerIhaveknown.ForBardhanL2provides comfort,escape,liberation,economicadvantage,prestige,andthepossibilitytoenacthis multiplesocialidentities. ConclusionsandImplications InconclusionIwanttomentionUshiodas(2009),apersonincontextrelationalview

oflanguagemotivation,becauseitisaholisticapproachtounderstandingtheindividual

FromDestroyertoPolyglot withinhis/herparticularsocioculturalcontext.Ushiodaarguesforalookatindividual differences,insteadofaveragesthatgroupindividuals.Shearguesfora:

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focusonrealpersons,ratherthanonlearnersastheoreticalabstractions;afocuson theagencyoftheindividualpersonasathinking,feelinghumanbeing,withan identity,apersonality,auniquehistoryandbackground.(p.220) SomeonelikeBardhwouldbelabeledasahighlymotivatedpersonbutwithouta

closerlookintohissocioculturalbackground,hisindividualpreferences,desiresand motivationalfactors,wemayneverfullyunderstandwhatfuelshisdesiretolearn languagesandtherebyrobhimofhispersonalstory.AndwhatifBardhhadstudiedEnglish intheUSinsteadofKosova?Howwouldthatchangeofsettingaffecthislanguagelearning? OneofthethingsIwouldliketodoasafutureeducatoristoaskeverystudenttowritea languagelearnerhistoryattheverybeginningofthesemester,sothatIcanacquaint myselfwithstudentsasuniqueindividuals.Iftheclass,however,isbeginningEFL/ESLand studentsareunabletowriteinEnglish,Iwouldaskthattheystartadailyjournal,a paragraphatmostabouttheirfeelings,conflicts,andthechallengesoflearninganew language,whichIwouldcollectandreadattheendofeverytwoweeks.Inadditionto providingthestudentanactivitytopromotereflection,Ibelievethatthiskindofapproach wouldpreventateacherfrommakinggeneralassumptionsaboutastudentandfrom applyingsuchbinarytermsasmotivated/unmotivated.CoffeyandStreet,Norton,Bourdieu andUshiodaproposeamultifacetedapproachtoalanguagelearnerwhichtakesinto accountmorethanhis/herlearningstyle,buthis/herbackground,socioculturalcontext,

FromDestroyertoPolyglot thereasonsforinvestmentinthetargetlanguage,andmultiplesocialidentities.

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FromDestroyertoPolyglot References: Bourdieu,P.(2006).Languageandsymbolicpower.InA.Jaworski(Ed.),TheDiscourse Reader(pp.480490).Routledge. Coffey,S.,&Street,B.(2008).NarrativeandidentityintheLanguageLearningProject. TheModernLanguageJournal,92,452464. NortonPeirce,B.(1995).Socialidentity,investment,andlanguagelearning.TESOL Quarterly,29,931.

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Norton,B.&McKinney,C.(2011).Anidentityapproachtosecondlanguageacquisition.In D.Atkinson(Ed.),Alternativeapproachestosecondlanguageacquisition(pp.7294). NewYork:Routledge. Ushioda,E.(2009).Apersonincontextrelationalviewofemergentmotivation,selfand identity.InZ.Drnyei&E.Ushioda,(Eds.),Motivation,languageidentityandtheL2 self(pp.215228).Bristol,UK:multilingualMatters.