The different roles of second languages in people’s lives

1. The Different Roles Of Second
Languages In People’s Lives
Asmara Shafqat
MS- Applied Linguistics
NED University, Karachi, Pakistan
asmara_2002@hotmail.com

2. Language teachers must know !
 Why we are teaching second
language?
 What students want to be?
 What groups they want to
belong to?

3. KEY WORDS:
Multilingualism Countries or situations where more than
one language is used for everyday
purposes.
Elite
bilingualism
Either the decision by parents to bring
up children through two languages, or
societies in which members of a ruling
group speak a second language.
Official
language
Language(s) recognized by a country
for official purposes.
Linguistic
imperialism
The means by which a ‘centre’ country
dominates ‘periphery’ countries by
making them use its language.

4. Why do we need a second language?
The real-life history of a boy in Tanzania who
spoke Kihaya at home; he needed Kiswahili in
elementary school and English in secondary
school; he trained to be a priest, which needed
Latin, but he also learnt French out of curiosity
at the same time. Then he went as a priest to
Uganda and Kenya, where he needed Rukiga
and Kikamba, and he is now in Illinois, where
he needs Spanish to communicate with his
parishioners, To most monolingual English
speakers, this seems a mind-bloggling life
story.

5. Role of second languages in
different ways:
• Bilingualism by choice
• Second language for religious use
• Official-language and L2 learning
• Multilingualism and L2 learning
• Internationalism and second
languages

6. Bilingualism By
Choice
Parental
choice
Being an
expatriate
Higher
status

7. Second language for
religious use
Muslims Quran/Prayers in
Arabic
Jews Prayers in Hebrew
Hindu Sanskrit

8. Official languages and L2 learning
English(Official)
Arabic (Religious)
Urdu (National)
Local
languages

9. Multilingualism & L2 Learning
• Mother tongue
• Native language
• Official language
• ESL
• EFL

10. Internationalism & Second Languages
• For overcoming barriers to the flow of
information, goods & people across national
boundaries.
• Social Networking.
• Requirement of admission in universities.
• Promoting relationship with other countries.
• Brining some benefits from outside the home
country.
• Jobs.
• Linguistic imperialism.

11. Groups of Language Users:
1. People speaking their native language.
2. People using an L2 within the majority
community.
3. People historically from a particular
community (re-)acquiring its language
as L2.

12. 4. People speaking an L2 as short-term
visitors to another country or to short
term visitors to their country.
5. People using an L2 with spouses or
friends.
6. People using an L2 internationally for
specific functions.
Groups of Language Users (cont.)

13. 7. Students and teachers acquiring or
conveying an education through an
L2.
8. Pupils and teachers learning or
teaching L2 in school.
Groups of Language Users
(cont.)..

14. Conclusion:
If we know the roles that second
languages plays in people’s lives
and the L2 users are members of
specific groups then we will be able
to understand the goals of language
teaching.

15. Thank you