Louise was coming up to her 30th birthday. She'd achieved her ambitions and wasn't sure what to do next. Born in Sweden, but a resident of Brighton, she had to either change things by moving back to her home country, or commit to being English. She came up with a novel way to investigate the two options. Lou wrote to 120 people, some English and some Swedish. She then chose 15 English people and 15 Swedish, spending a week shadowing each of them and writing about the experience. Louise Halvardsson is a novelist and a performance poet. Her debut novel Punkindustriell hårdrockare med attityd ("Punk industrial hard rocker with attitude") was published in Sweden in 2007 and won an award for Best Newcomer in Young Adult fiction. www.louisehalvardsson.com
The contributions in Moribund Germanic Heritage Languages in North America advance the ever-expanding research program in formal and theoretical treatments of heritage language grammars through in-depth empirical investigations. The core focus on moribund varieties of heritage Germanic languages extends beyond the exploration of the individual heritage language grammars and contributes to larger discussions in the field of Germanic linguistics.
This book begins with the idea that English in the multilingual university is filled with and surrounded by tensions, from the renegotiation and bending of language norms to the emotional strain of the increasing use of English. It explores how these tensions are experienced by those who find themselves in multilingual university settings outside the anglophone world and use English in their research or education. The author examines the use of English in multiple domains in Swedish universities, progressing from macro perspectives on language policies to in-depth qualitative studies of individuals. The book presents both a synthesis of recent scholarship on the use of language in multilingual universities and the author’s own empirical findings, which are situated in a theoretical framework based on the work of Mikhail Bakhtin. The book offers the reader a novel way of tracing the links between language perceptions and practices on the ground, and the forces and processes which govern these practices.
This volume brings together theoretical perspectives and empirical studies on the ongoing Englishization of Nordic universities. A core objective is to contrast and address the gap between ideological representations of this phenomenon and the ways in which it unfolds in the practices on the ground. The book provides perspectives from five Nordic countries: Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland, with one chapter from each country focusing on ideologies and another on practices. The book is intended to provide an up-to-date resource on the internationalization and Englishization of Nordic universities for scholars, policy makers and anyone wishing to gain an overview of current issues in the field.
This edited book examines language perceptions and practices in multilingual university contexts in the aftermath of recent theoretical developments questioning the conceptualization of language as a static entity, drawing on case studies from different Northern European contexts in order to explore the effects of phenomena including internationalization, widening participation, and migration patterns on language attitudes and ideologies. The book provides cutting-edge perspectives on language uses in Northern European universities by drawing attention to the multiplicity of language practices alongside the prominence of English in international study programmes and research publication. It will be of interest to students and scholars of multilingualism, sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, and education, as well as language policymakers. bfiqo
One of the world's leading linguists recently wrote: "We may be seeing the birth of a new language as yet without a name." He was referencing the new informal mixture of English and other languages being freely formed around the world, with little effort to conform to prescribed rules of grammar, syntax, or spelling. Amglish in, Like, Ten Easy Lessons: A Celebration of the New World Lingo, by Arthur Rowse with illustrations by John Doherty, offers both a name for this new language and an enjoyable guide on how one can learn to use the language through ten easy "lessons." The authors describe how Amglish, or American English influenced by online grammar and syntax, has begun to dominate our global language. Featuring an ironic manual on how to use this developing language, Amglish is a light and highly entertaining addition to the recent literature on grammar and punctuation. Illustrated with original drawings throughout, the book shows readers how to improve their Amglish and have fun doing so.
Words shape and redefine reality, a constantly evolving and fluid interpretation of social rules and ideas. Foreign words expose us to other realities, unfamiliar practices and exotic beliefs. They can help us discover feelings that are not expressible in our native language. They can inspire us to adopt a new lifestyle, or question the way we live. They may seem obvious, obscure, quirky, unnecessary, universal, or remarkably niche. Swedish has enriched the English language with moped, ombudsman, and smorgasbord. While culturally, Abba, Ikea, Spotify, and Volvo have become part of the global lexicon and in many ways transcend their Swedish origins. But it is more recent words like lagom (moderation) and fika (coffee breaks) which have pushed Swedish language and culture deeper into the global consciousness. But Sweden is more than lifestyle trends and technical solutions. It is the country of fredagsmys (cosy Friday), kosläpp (release of the cows), lillördag (little Saturday, Wednesday), and where the average citizen dreams of a villa, Volvo and a vovve. - Explore the Swedish lifestyle beyond the cliches, with the help of more than 100 Swedish words, translated into English. - Learn more about the country where yes is just another word for no, where the word for poison is the same as for married, and where words without meaning are described as mashed snow. - Listen to three different Swedish dialects with complementary audio files, and wrap your tongue around the pronunciation tricks you need to master to sound like a local. - Be challenged with language quizzes, word games and crossword puzzles. - Enjoy the silliness of direct translations, false friends and other quirky features of the Swedish language — and learn more about the origins of those words we think of as Swedish today. Villa Volvo Vovve is inspired by The Local’s popular ‘Word of the day’ column which continues to explore Swedish language and culture beyond global stereotypes and buzz words.
Ernesto Macaro brings together a wealth of research on the rapidly expanding phenomenon of English Medium Instruction. Against a backdrop of theory, policy documents, and examples of practice, he weaves together research in both secondary and tertiary education, with a particular focus on the key stakeholders involved in EMI: the teachers and the students. Whilst acknowledging that the momentum of EMI is unlikely to be diminished, and identifying its potential benefits, the author raises questions about the ways it has been introduced and developed, and explores how we can arrive at a true cost–benefit analysis of its future impact. “This state-of-the-art monograph presents a wide-ranging, multi-perspectival yet coherent overview of research, policy, and practice of English Medium Instruction around the globe. It gives a thorough, in-depth, and thought-provoking treatment of an educational phenomenon that is spreading on an unprecedented scale.” Guangwei Hu, National Institute of Education, Singapore Additional online resources are available at www.oup.com/elt/teacher/emi Ernesto Macaro is Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Oxford and is the founding Director of the Centre for Research and Development on English Medium Instruction at the university. Oxford Applied Linguistics Series Advisers: Anne Burns and Diane Larsen-Freeman
