Chapter 1 – The Secrets of Language Learning
Language Ideologies and Language Learning Myths
Bibi Halima and Keli Yerian
Preview Questions
- What are language ideologies and why do they matter?
- What are some common language learning myths?
Nod and smile if you’ve assumed any of the following to be true:
- Some languages are inherently more difficult than others.
- Some languages are inherently more logical and beautiful than others.
- Some languages sound funnier than others.
- There is always a proper way of articulating a word in a language.
- The best kind of language is produced by native speakers.
- The best way to learn a language is through immersion or study abroad.
Keep smiling and read on.
These assumptions are a few of the widely held beliefs about language learning. In the last section you learned that you don’t need to share a language to communicate with someone, much less know it perfectly. But maybe you still think that you need at least a year or two in a language class before you begin trying to speak. Perhaps you think you’ll never be able to speak like a native, so you are discouraged to try. These beliefs are the examples of language ideologies.
language Ideologies
Michael Silverstein, one of the leading figures in linguistic anthropology, defined these ideologies as “sets of beliefs about language articulated by users as a rationalization or justification of perceived language structure and use” (Silverstein, 1979, p. 193). Interestingly, these ideologies are ubiquitous but they do not come from human reasoning. Instead, they show us how people feel about and perceive a particular language or languages in general.
Do Language Ideologies Matter?
Imagine a scenario where a job applicant is judged negatively in an interview based on their regional dialect, despite being highly qualified. This implies that the interviewer holds a standard-language ideologyand we can infer that the interviewee’s dialect is considered less prestigious and professional.
To know more about the case of Pakistan, read an opinion by Punjani and Khan (2020).
It is important to note that language ideologies do not always have negative impacts. If they are constructive and progressive beliefs about language diversity, these ideologies can bring a massive change in making the world more tolerant and diverse for all. Language ideologies are game changers! To visualize and understand the power of a language ideology that believes in preserving endangered and local languages, look at the example of UNESCO’s project in the Amazon region of South America, which focuses on safeguarding linguistic and cultural heritage.
You might realize at this point that we too (as authors) have a language ideology in this book. Our ideology promotes the message that every language matters. For example, that efforts should be made to preserve endangered languages. To answer the question ‘does language ideology matter?’ we should understand that these beliefs about language sh