Multilingualism

The article calls into question the understanding of the Kočevska (Gottschee) area as a “German language island”. Through examples of the use of different languages before the Second World War, it shows a different –multilingual or multicultural– image of this region. The author draws data from historical and archival sources, as well as from a survey that she conducted among Gottscheers (“Gottschee Germans”) living in Slovenia, Austria, Germany, the USA and Canada. Keywords: Gottschee, Gottscheers, Gottschee Germans, multilingualism, nationalism, linguistically mixed regions, linguistic islands, national identity

ABSTRACT
In this paper, we study for the first time the unpublished multilingual poetry written by Sanandrean linguist Oakley Forbes. We also explore his role in
the translation of Juan Ramírez Dawkins’ poems. In these two unknown aspects of Forbes’ life, we trace the relationship between writing and translation
in his double role as translator and self-translator. This study shows that writing and translating are two spheres present both in his role as a translator
of Ramírez Dawkins’ works and as a translator of his own works. When he collaborated with Ramírez Dawkins in the translation of the latter’s works,
he had the freedom to rewrite and to adapt the text in order to re-spatialize it to the writer’s other audience. The same happened with the translation of
his own poetic work, which, being written in several languages, reflects the richness and paradoxes of the encounters of diverse cultures.
Keywords: Oakley Forbes. Collaborative Translation. Self-translation. Caribbean Poetry. Literary multilingualism.

This paper argues for a critical approach towards the glorification of 'mothertongue' evident in matrubhasha sentiments in India. Not all mothertongues come with sentimentalism associated with them, especially by those who belong to upper-castes. Languages come with memories of caste. To that extent, Dalits (not all) may see English as a more liberal and liberating language than their own mothertongues. Language in this paper is not merely linguistic, but a refashioning of self -- translation is one of the text, and the world.

The tension between unity vs. multiplicity seems to be at the heart of the European Union (EU). In terms of language, whereas the EU funds numerous projects to foster multilingualism, it is becoming an increasingly monolingual institution because of the ad hoc use of English as a lingua franca. Furthermore, the issue of the EU's translation medium and its alleged transparency, neutrality and universality plays a pivotal role in this debate. Even though translating and interpreting are some of the key activities carried out by EU institutions, very little is said about its mechanisms, as there is no real distinction between originals and translations. Does this strategy really erase linguistic hierarchy or reinforce it by pushing it out of the debate? The aim of this paper is to explore this main question and propose various ways out of the dilemma. KEYWORDS: English as a lingua franca, European Union, multilingualism, translation

London is home to more than eight million people, who speak more than three hundred languages, but the representation of this cultural richness and diversity in the theatre of the British capital is far from adequate. London theatre remains predominantly white, British, and middle-class, and performances use the standard London dialect and accent combination. In the first part of this article, I offer a contextualization and classification of types of heteroglossia available to London theatregoers. In the second part, I describe my research project "Translation, Adaptation, Otherness: 'Foreignisation' in Theatre Practice." The aim of the project was to investigate new strategies in theatre translation that would enable us to disrupt audience expectations and challenge ethnocentrism. In the present article, I assess the difficulties we encountered and audiences' responses to our experiments. The project offered many timely opportunities to interrogate perceptions of "foreignness" among London-based theatre makers, scholars, and spectators immediately following the Brexit referendum vote.

ABSTRACT: Anthropocentrism has been claimed to be the root of the global environmental crisis. Based on a multidisciplinary (e.g. environmental philosophy, animal ethics, anthro - pology, law) and multilingual (English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese) literature review, this article proposes a conceptual analysis of ‘anthropocentrism’ and reconstructs the often implicit argument that links anthropocentrism to the environmental crisis. The variety of usages of the concept of ‘anthropocentrism’ described in this article reveals many underlying disagreements under the apparent unanimity of the calls to reject anthropocentrism, both regarding what exactly is the root of the problem, and the nature of the possible solutions. It highlights the limitations of the argument of anthropocentrism as the scapegoat of the environmental crisis and identifies two main challenges faced by attempts to go beyond anthropocentrism: an epistemological challenge regarding knowledge and the place of sciences, and a metaethical challenge related to values and cultural pluralism. Beyond the issue of an anthropocentric point of view, the core of the problem might be an intertwinement of views and as sumptions that work together to undermine attempts to protect the environment from the greed of some humans, such as the human−nature dichotomy, capitalism, consumerism, industrialism, etc. Finally, this article suggests that making the nuances and the presuppositions that underlie various versions of the anti-anthropocentric rhetoric explicit is necessary to foster constructive dialogue among different anti anthropocentrism proponents, as well as with their detractors.
KEY WORDS: Anthropocentrism · Non-anthropocentrism · Values of nature · Environmental ethics · Cultural pluralism · Intrinsic value

This study compared working memory ability in multilingual young adults and their monolingual peers on four components of working memory (verbal and visuospatial storage, verbal and visuospatial processing). The sample comprised 39 monolingual English speakers, and 39 multilinguals, who spoke an African language as their first and third languages, and English as their second language, all with high levels of proficiency. The multilingual young adults came from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds and possessed smaller English vocabularies than the monolinguals, features which make this group an under-researched population. Both when SES and verbal ability were and were not statistically controlled, there was evidence of a multilingual advantage in all of the working memory components, which was most pronounced in visuospatial processing. These findings support evidence from bilinguals showing cognitive advantages beyond inhibitory control, and suggest that multilingualism may influence the executive control system generally.

The objective of the ICT for Language Learning conference is to promote the sharing of good practice and transnational cooperation in the field of the application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to Language Learning and Teaching. The ICT for Language Learning conference will also be an excellent opportunity for the presentation of previous and current language learning projects and innovative initiatives.

This paper analyzes the LL in the city of Bautzen / Budyšin in Germany, a town which is frequently considered the “capital” of the Slavonic minority of the Sorbs. It focuses on the societal role of Sorbian in relation to practices and ideologies of mainstream German society. The vast majority of signs in Bautzen / Budyšin are in German only. Sorbian is essentially restricted to explicitly Sorbian institutions and to local and regional administration. Interviews conducted in shops and on the streets reveal that paternalistic attitudes common to perceptions of language policies and minority languages in Germany dominate; practices maintain the common monolingual habitus in German society. Members of the majority population show little awareness of Sorbian issues, and Sorbian signage is seen as a generous gesture but considered essentially unnecessary. Only in most recent times, a reaction by the Sorbian community has challenged these practices and attitudes.

This article discusses the impact of lexical range on the learnersΓCO ability to communicate in English when taught as a foreign language in bilingual schools, and emphasizes the importance of explicit vocabulary instruction.┬a It draws on data from classroom observation, lexis-retrieval tasks, written and spoken performance in bilingual (German-English) and regular school classes at grades 5-8 in Austrian secondary schools.┬a Results suggest that a wider lexical range results in better communicative competence and fluency and that breakdown of communication in spoken or written performance is more frequently caused by insufficient vocabulary rather than by lack of control or grammatical problems. ┬a┬aConsequently, insights from cognitive linguistics, the Lexical Approach, and Lexical Priming are discussed to justify the concept of vocabulary instruction in contextualized units. Taking the scarceness of theoretical and practical concepts into consideration, the need for research on ...

The purpose of this review was to examine the descriptions of multilingual participants provided in stuttering literature to determine how frequently and consistently relevant factors of language profile are reported. Method: We conducted a systematic search of published studies that included multilingual participants who stutter and reviewed the level of detail provided regarding language history, function, proficiency, stability, mode, accent, covert speech, and affective factors. Results: Twenty-three studies qualified to be included in the systematic review, consisting of 342 different multilingual stuttering participants. Of these 23 studies, the most frequently reported information included language proficiency (70%), history (56%), and function (43%). The specificity of the information used to define these factors was inconsistent. Affect was mentioned in 22% of studies, and language stability, mode, and accent information was included in less than 10% of the studies. Conclusions: Results demonstrate that description of multilingual stuttering participants is inadequate and inconsistent. A recommended framework is provided for future studies to facilitate cross-study comparisons and enhance our ability to interpret the manifestation of stuttering in multilingual participants. Educational objectives: The reader will be able to: (a) summarize the current validity of cross-study comparisons in available research of multilingual participants who stutter; (b) describe the range of language factors to be included when providing descriptions of multilingual participants who stutter; (c) discuss the importance of consistency when describing language profiles of multilingual research participants. Published by Elsevier Inc.

In 2017 Irish Sign Language (ISL) was officially recognised in Ireland yet no Applied Linguistics research to date has explored Irish families learning ISL when they discover their child is deaf. Research tells us of many potential benefits to both hearing and deaf family members by having a family language of communication in ISL (Dammeyer, 2010; Calderon, 2000; Moeller, 2000), yet research on Ireland’s Home Tuition Scheme, which entitles families with a deaf child to ISL tuition, remains low, due to lack of information, as well as misinformation (Mathews, 2011).

In this PhD study, qualitative research methods explore the language learning process of these families. Interviews and home observations follow Glaser’s Grounded Theory approach to break the academic silence on this research population by developing a theory that reflects the process of re-imagining the family language, or the way in which family members communicate, as they learn a new culture, a new modality, a new language in ISL.

Early data analysis suggests that families learning ISL develop new language and communication skills, deaf awareness, cultural understanding and a grounding principle of equality and inclusion allowing them to constantly prioritise learning this challenging, but enriching, visuo-spatial language.

Following the success of language recognition, and this study’s early results, families with a deaf child need more support as parents, language teachers and linguistic models in their home, and as language learners, to aid them in creating a new family language to allow each child equal access to their childhood and their family.

Denne artikkelen handler om norske engelsklaereres kompetanse i å arbeide med barn som har et annet morsmål enn norsk, og som laerer engelsk som fremmedspråk. Problemstillingene er "Hva slags utdanning og kunnskap innen flerspråklighet har engelsklaerere i Norge?," "I hvilken grad føler engelsklaerere i Norge seg forberedt på å undervise i flerkulturelle og flerspråklige klasserom?" og "Hvilken type kunnskap, ferdigheter og ressurser føler de behov for?". Vi presenterer resultater fra en nasjonal spørreundersøkelse hvor i alt 176 engelsklaerere deltok. I tillegg presenterer vi resultater fra fokusintervjuer med i alt fire laerere fra to skoler. Resultatene viser at selv om engelsklaererne til en viss grad føler seg forberedt på arbeid med elever som ikke har norsk som morsmål, har svaert få av dem utdanning som fokuserer på flerspråklighet. Svarene fra spørreundersøkelsen og fra intervjuene viser at engelsklaererne gjerne vil ha mer kompetanse på dette området. Vi vil derfor understreke betydningen av utdanning i teori og praksis om flerspråklig utvikling og flerkulturell utdanningsteori, og ikke minst betydningen av tilgang til faglig utvikling som fokuserer på flerspråklighet i skolen og i samfunnet for engelsklærere i Norge.

APA Citation: Şeker,E. (2016). Designing a competence-based syllabus for Turkish speaking learners of English in terms of accessibility to universal grammar. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 12(1), 79-109. Abstract This study focuses on designing an English grammar syllabus for Turkish speaking English learners, which is based on the assumption that learning English grammar will be simpler and easier for Turkish speaking learners if it is introduced in a way by which they can achieve accessibility to Universal Grammar. In this study, I analyze almost all traditional grammar modules presented in a reliable ELT reference course book referring to parameters set between Turkish and English languages, try to determine how much of these modules are accessible through first language competence and finally transfer the results into developing a foreign language learning syllabus, accordingly suggesting a hierarchy of learning for Turkish speaking English learners. The traditional...

Various policies, plans, and initiatives have been implemented to provide safe, quality, and culturally competent care to patients within Queensland's healthcare system. A series of models of maternity care are available in Queensland that range from standard public care to private midwifery care. The current study aimed to determine whether identifying as Culturally or Linguistically Diverse (CALD) was associated with the perceived safety, quality, and cultural competency of maternity care from a consumer perspective, and to identify specific needs and preferences of CALD maternity care consumers. Secondary analysis of data collected in the Having a Baby in Queensland Survey 2012 was used to compare the experiences of 655 CALD women to those of 4049 non-CALD women in Queensland, Australia, across three stages of maternity care: pregnancy, labour and birth, and after birth. After adjustment for model of maternity care received and socio-demographic characteristics, CALD women were significantly more likely than non-CALD women to experience suboptimal staff technical competence in pregnancy, overall perceived safety in pregnancy and labour/birth, and interpersonal sensitivity in pregnancy and labour/birth. Approximately 50% of CALD women did not have the choice to use a translator or interpreter, or the gender of their care provider, during labour and birth. Thirteen themes of preferences and needs of CALD maternity care consumers based on ethnicity, cultural beliefs, or traditions were identified, however, these were rarely met. Findings imply that CALD women in Queensland experience disadvantageous maternity care with regards to perceived staff technical competence, safety, and interpersonal sensitivity, and receive care that lacks cultural competence. Improved access to support persons, continuity and choice of carer, and staff availability and training is recommended.

To provide guidelines for the development of two types of closed-set speech-perception tests that can be applied and interpreted in the same way across languages. The guidelines cover the digit triplet and the matrix sentence tests that are most commonly used to test speech recognition in noise. They were developed by a working group on Multilingual Speech Tests of the International Collegium of Rehabilitative Audiology (ICRA). The recommendations are based on reviews of existing evaluations of the digit triplet and matrix tests as well as on the research experience of members of the ICRA Working Group. They represent the results of a consensus process. The resulting recommendations deal with: Test design and word selection; Talker characteristics; Audio recording and stimulus preparation; Masking noise; Test administration; and Test validation. By following these guidelines for the development of any new test of this kind, clinicians and researchers working in any language will be ...

This study investigated the relation between linguistic and spatial working memory (WM) resources and language comprehension for signed compared to spoken language. Sign languages are both linguistic and visual-spatial, and therefore provide a unique window on modality-specific versus modality-independent contributions of WM resources to language processing. Deaf users of American Sign Language (ASL), hearing monolingual English speakers, and hearing ASL-English bilinguals completed several spatial and linguistic serial recall tasks. Additionally, their comprehension of spatial and non-spatial information in ASL and spoken English narratives was assessed. Results from the linguistic serial recall tasks revealed that the often reported advantage for speakers on linguistic short-term memory tasks does not extend to complex WM tasks with a serial recall component. For English, linguistic WM predicted retention of non-spatial information, and both linguistic and spatial WM predicted retention of spatial information. For ASL, spatial WM predicted retention of spatial (but not non-spatial) information, and linguistic WM did not predict retention of either spatial or non-spatial information. Overall, our findings argue against strong assumptions of independent domain-specific subsystems for the storage and processing of linguistic and spatial information and furthermore suggest a less important role for serial encoding in signed than spoken language comprehension.

Marek Nekula - Lucie Rychnovská: Jazyk Smetanových dopisů v dobovém kontextu / The Language of Smetana’s Letters and Diaries in the Context of His Time. / Die Sprache von Smetanas Briefen im Kontext seiner Zeit. In: Bedřich Smetana, Korespondence I (1840-1862). Kritická edice. Hg. Olga Mojžíšová u. Milan Pospíšil. Praha: Národní muzeum – Koniasch Latin Press 2016, 28-73, 123-181, 235-291, 429-444.

This article examines the effect of linguistic anxiety on identity by analyzing the use of English in Japanese television from the perspective of Sociocultural Linguistics. Close analysis of segments from Japanese television entertainment programs shows how both verbal and visual intertextual resources are used to create linguistic anxiety at the micro level of personal interaction, on the macro level of government policy and television genre, and also at meso levels that exist between both the macro and micro. Semiotic resources such as costumes, set design, subtitles, and other elements in the mediascape allow for circulation of ideologies from government policies into assessments of individuals. The role of meso level discourse in the bidirectional transmission of linguistic anxiety between the macro levels of society and the micro levels of personal interaction is discussed.

Al hilo de los resultados de un reciente estudio sobre las capacidades bilingües en shipibo y español de alumnos escolarizados en una escuela de educación intercultural bilingüe (EIB) de Perú, en este artículo se abordan algunas de los interrogantes que plantea el funcionamiento de la EIB. Se aborda ese tema desde la óptica de las lenguas minorizadas y su lugar en una educación plurilingüe y contrasta los pasos dados por la EIB peruana con la experiencia de revitalización de una lengua minoritaria europea (euskera o vasco) fijándose en los efectos del uso de las lenguas vehiculares en la escuela. Desde un enfoque comunicativo de las lenguas que tiene el bi/plurilingüismo como finalidad, el trabajo incide en los retos que tiene la educación plurilingüe para optimizar los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje de las lenguas en contacto y reflexiona sobre la importancia de evaluar con rigurosidad tanto el desarrollo de las capacidades bilingües de los alumnos como los resultados de un mode...

The use of storytelling and digital art as tools to understand a migrant family's life path will be in the center of an innovative methodology that will ensure the acquisition of multilingual skills and the development of plurilingual awareness, reinforcing the various dimensions of language (aesthetic and emotional, in addition to cognitive), in a creative, collaborative and interdisciplinary work environment. This is especially important among students who are not likely to receive further language training. It is not yet clear how teachers can explore multilingual experiences of learners, both in terms of language learning dimensions but also related with the multiple cognitive connections and representations, as well as to the awareness of language diversity. The JASM (Janela aberta sobre o mundo: línguas estrangeiras, criatividade multimodal e inovação pedagógica no ensino superior) project involves a group of students of the 1st cycle in Media Studies, from the School of Education of Viseu, who will work using photography, digital art and cultural communication, collecting information pertaining to diversified cultural and linguistic contexts of the city of Viseu (Beira Alta, Portugal), both in French and English, centered on a tradition or ritual of a migrant family. Based on an interview, students write the story (in French and English) of the life of migrants and use photography to highlight the most relevant aspect of the migrant's family life. Using as a starting point an object associated with religion, tradition or a ritual, students create an animated film, in both languages. This approach will allow the exploration of culture and digital scenography, integrating in an innovative interdisciplinary pathway, digital art, multilingual skills and multicultural awareness. Students' learning progress and teacher roles are assessed during this process, using tests from the beginning to the end of the project.

Background and purpose: Bilingualism has been associated with slower cognitive ageing and a later onset of dementia. In this study, we aimed to determine whether bilingualism also influences cognitive outcome after stroke. Methods: We examined 608 ischemic stroke patients from a large stroke registry and studied the role of bilingualism in predicting post-stroke cognitive impairment in the absence of dementia. Results: A larger proportion of bilinguals had normal cognition compared to monolinguals (40.5 % vs19.6 %, P<0.0001) while the reverse was noted in patients with cognitive impairment, including vascular dementia and vascular mild cognitive impairment (monolinguals 77.7% vs bilinguals 49.0%, P<0.0009). There were no differences in the frequency of aphasia (monolinguals 11.8% vs bilinguals 10.5%, P =0.354). Bilingualism was found to be an independent predictor of post-stroke cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Our results suggest that bilingualism leads to a better cognitive outcome following stroke, possibly by enhancing cognitive reserve.

УДК 378:811(045) Коняева Л. А. Кемеровский государственный университет, Кемерово, Россия ИННОВАЦИОННАЯ ИНТЕРАКТИВНАЯ ВИКТОРИНА КАК ПРИЕМ ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ ВИЗУАЛЬНОЙ КУЛЬТУРЫ СТУДЕНТОВ ПРИ ОБУЧЕНИИ ИНОСТРАННЫМ ЯЗЫКАМ В статье освещается актуальная тема формирования визуальной культуры студентов в процессе обучения иностранным языкам с использованием инновационных мульти-медийных технологий. В настоящее время совершенно очевидно, что сложившаяся в прошлом система обучения иностранным языкам, единообразная для всех обучающихся, не отвечает современным требованиям жизни. Одним из средств, превращающих обучение иностранному языку в живой творческий процесс и формирующих у студентов визуальную культуру, является использование инновационных приемов, направленных на формирование лингвосоциокультурной компетенции современного студента. Эффективным приемом формирования визуальной культуры является интерактивный дидактический материал, насыщенный элементами визуализации (красочные иллюстрации, схемы, таблицы, видео-фрагметы и т. д.), активизирующими зрительный анализатор и способствующими четкому восприятию визуальных образов, умению их анализировать, интерпретировать, оценивать, сопоставлять, представлять и создавать на этой основе новые индивидуальные образы. Цель статьи-обоснование путей эффективного формирования визуальной культуры студентов на примере интерактивной мультимедийной викторины «English Ice-Breakers», созданной с помощью программы FrontPage. Мультимедийная викторина представляет собой ознакомительный (вводный) урок, проводимый в форме викторины, позволяющий студентам-первокурсникам эффективно формировать визуальную культуру. Нами выявлена прямая зависимость между уровнем сформированности визуальной культуры студентов и более успешной активизацией знаний, полученных первокурсниками в школе. Правильно организованная визуализация дидакти-ческого материала способствует повышению самостоятельности мышления студентов, обострению их познавательного интереса, активизации учебной деятельности в целом. В статье описан алгоритм проведения вводного занятия с использованием интерактив-ной викторины, выделены особенности реализации новой технологии в учебном процессе на примере дисциплины «Иностранный язык». Принципы визуализации викторины «English Ice-Breakers» как дидактического материала представляют интерес для широкого круга преподавателей. Они могут быть использованы в любых образовательных заведениях инновационного типа, участвующих в решении задач модернизации системы образования, при обучении всем видам речевой деятельности с целью формирования визуальной культуры и успешного межкультурного общения билингвальной или мультилингвальной языковой личности.

The Australian experience of bilingual education is composed of three separate audiences: Indigenous groups and their languages, immigrant groups and their languages (both of these groups seeking language maintenance and intergenerational vitality), and mainstream English speakers seeking additive language study. All these interests share a common aim of lobbying for more serious and substantial language education programs, but differ significantly in the purposes and context of their promotion of bilingual education. This chapter provides an overview of historical, political and educational influences on forms of bilingual education that have emerged, in the context of state and national language policy and practices, to meet the needs of Indigenous Australians, migrant communities, and Anglophones.

The global movements of healthcare professionals and patient populations have increased the complexities of medical interactions at the point of service. This study examines interpreter mediated talk in cross-cultural general dentistry in Hong Kong where assisting para-professionals, in this case bilingual or multilingual Dental Surgery Assistants (DSA), perform the dual capabilities of clinical assistant and interpreter. An initial language use survey was conducted with Polyclinic DSAs using a logbook approach to provide self-report data on language use in clinics. Frequencies of mean scores using a 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) indicated that the majority of DSAs spoke mainly Cantonese in clinics and interpreted for postgraduates and professors. Conversation Analysis (CA) examined recipient design across a corpus (n=21) of video-recorded review consultations between non-Cantonese speaking expatriate dentists and their Cantonese L1 patients. Three patterns indicated were: dentist designated expansions; dentist directed interpretations; and assistant initiated interpretations to both the dentist and patient. The third, rather than being perceived as negative, were found to be framed either in response to patient difficulties or within the specific task routines of general dentistry. The findings illustrate trends in dentistry towards personalized care and patient empowerment as a reaction to the predominant product delivery approach to patient management. Implications are indicated for both treatment adherence and the education of dental professionals.

Prior studies report a tendency of university students in Australia to quit their beginner level second language (L2) courses at an early stage (Martín et al., 2016; Nettelbeck et al., 2007). Demotivational patterns are meta-analyzed to understand what hampers the interest in learning French, German, Italian and Spanish of continuing students, discontinuing students, and quitters over one year of studies at Australian universities. Such a distinction across categories of students is offered in line with Martín et al.’s (2016) research. Demotivators are structured on three levels of analysis drawing on Gruba et al.’s (2016) and The Douglas Fir Group’s (2016) frameworks, which encapsulate three levels of analysis, specifically micro, meso and macro. Findings suggest that beginner L2 students in Australia are demotivated by all three levels of analysis in very dynamic and interchangeable ways. Students were found to concurrently experience very different degrees of demotivation over time.

A detailed language assessment was conducted with MM, a 17-year-old bilingual teenager with Rasmussen syndrome who had undergone a left functional hemispherectomy. Results revealed important deficits in French and English, affecting expressive and receptive language in both the written and the oral modality. MMÕs linguistic profile was coherent with previous description of language function following left hemispherectomy, and what is known of the linguistic potential of the right hemisphere (RH). The impairment pattern showed overall similarities between French and English, thus supporting the existence of a common underlying system for these two languages. However, the profiles in each language were not identical, implying that distinct subsystems may also be at play. These findings support previous descriptions of acquired language impairments and recovery in bilingual individuals.

In a globalized and interconnected world, multilingualism became essentialfor  the  enhancing  of  the  intercultural  communication  and  understanding.  Its  significantimportance put it on the agenda of the European Union, which identifies the higher educationinstitutions as one of the main actors in promoting multilingualism. As a consequence, eachmember state of the European Union became responsible for including this priority on its ownagenda. The aim of this research project is to analyze the manner in which multilingualism ispromoted within  the  Romanian higher education institutions. Since  there are  many  actionsthrough which multilingualism can be enhanced, we chose as case study the teaching of foreignlanguages in the Romanian universities. The hypothesis we aim to test is that the promotion ofmultilingualism  is  very  much  influenced  by  the  developmenet  and  evolution  of  the  studyprograms in the field of philology and applied modern languages.  Keywords: multilingualism, foreign languages, higher education, university, Romania.

Working memory (WM) plays a crucial role in learning a second language (L2). The ability to repeat words in an unknown language has been observed to predict success in learning that language. Conversely, decreased digit span and inability to repeat pseudowords have been related with failure in L2 acquisition. Not only digit span, but also ''word span'' and ''semantic span'' should be considered in WM analysis. In addition to the phonological system, a semantic system is proposed in the WM model for language. In bilinguals, brain activation patterns during WM tasks have been observed to be more complex when using a L2. Processing information in L2 is more demanding, and WM may be less efficient. It can be conjectured that language understanding defects in L2 are at least partially due to this decreased efficiency of WM in its phonological as well as in its semantic subsystem. Learning outcomes: The reader will be introduced to the basic assumptions of WM. It will be emphasized that WM is significantly involved in the ability to learn a L2. Cross-linguistic differences in digit span will be analyzed. It will be concluded that despite digit span and word span are affected by different variables, ''semantic span'' may be similar across languages. Words in a L2 function as low frequency words, and hence, semantic search takes longer and WM is less efficient. It will be concluded that in addition to the ''phonological system,'' the WM model should include a ''semantic system,'' involving a ''semantic store'' and a ''semantic search'' process. #

This study explored the developmental trends and phonetic category formation in bilingual children and adults. Participants included 30 fluent Spanish-English bilingual children, aged 8-11, and bilingual adults, aged 18-40. All completed gating tasks that incorporated code-mixed Spanish-English stimuli. There were significant differences in performance according to phonotactic construction of the stimuli, with fastest word recognition on words with voiceless initial consonants. Analysis of developmental trends revealed significant differences in children's performance by grade level and fastest recognition on English voiceless initial consonants than Spanish voiceless initial consonants. Differences in voice onset time between English and Spanish may have contributed to quicker recognition of English voiceless consonants than Spanish voiceless consonants. It is also possible that increased exposure to both spoken and written English may account for faster recognition of English voiceless words than Spanish voiceless words. In conclusion, multiple factors may influence perception of a second language.

The growth of accelerated graduate entry nursing programs has challenged traditional approaches to teaching and learning. To date, limited research has been undertaken in the role of learning preferences, language proficiency and academic performance in accelerated programs. Sixty-two first year accelerated graduate entry nursing students, in a single cohort at a university in the western region of Sydney, Australia, were surveyed to assess their learning preference using the Visual, Aural, Read/write and Kinaesthetic (VARK) learning preference questionnaire, together with sociodemographic data, English language acculturation and perceived academic control. Six months following course commencement, the participant's grade point average (GPA) was studied as a measurement of academic performance. A 93% response rate was achieved. The majority of students (62%) reported preference for multiple approaches to learning with the kinaesthetic sensory mode a significant (p = 0.009) predictor of academic performance. Students who spoke only English at home had higher mean scores across two of the four categories of VARK sensory modalities, visual and kinaesthetic compared to those who spoke non-English. Further research is warranted to investigate the reasons why the kinaesthetic sensory mode is a predictor of academic performance and to what extent the VARK mean scores of the four learning preference(s) change with improved English language proficiency.

have confirmed the importance of multilingualism in the workplace. They provide evidence that a multilingual environment increases the diversity and the quality of projects, while monolingualism can mean a loss of markets. Since the '80s, English as a lingua franca (ELF) has been accepted as the international business language. Although English is not considered a threat to multilingualism (House, 2002, 2003), tensions exist between these two forms of communication: ELF and multilingualism. In this paper, I present an analysis of Airbus employee interviews using argument formulas (Anscombre, Ducrot, 1983). The initial analysis of what is said before and after the connector " but/pero/aber/mais " within interviews in four languages indicates tensions between the use of English and multilingual exchanges in daily work activities. The combination of " enunciation frames " (Charolles, 1997) and the role of personal pronouns (Benveniste, 1974) shows that the employees adapt their communication according to workplace structures: they tend to use English at an executive or a departmental level, while at team and face-to-face levels their communication benefits from multilingual skills.