Ethnolinguistic vitality, self‐confidence and second language proficiency: An investigation¹

Abstract

Past studies of the social‐psychological factors involved in second language acquisition have primarily been focussed on individual determinants of second language competence. Recent theoretical attempts at integrating contextual or environmental determinants have underlined the possible role of ethnolinguistic vitality. The present study was conducted to assess the influence of ethnolinguistic vitality on different constructs of Clément's model of second language usage. The subjects were 95 grade nine Francophone students living in a bicultural milieu. They responded to a battery of tests which included scales of ethnolinguistic vitality, attitudes, motivation, self‐confidence as well as indices of second language competence and usage. Analyses of the data show that contact with Anglophones and self‐confidence with English as a second language are related to motivation and motivation is related to linguistic and non‐linguistic aspects of second language competence. Hypotheses related to relationships between ethnolinguistic vitality and attitudes were, however, not supported. These results are discussed with respect to the importance of ethnolinguistic vitality as a determinant of second language proficiency within the context of current models of second language competence.

Notes

Requests for reprints should be addressed to R. Clément, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada, K1N 6N5.