Italian (IC) and English (EC) Canadians, in two school settings, completed the Subjective Vitality Questionnaire (SVQ) and a sociolinguistic questionnaire concerning self-reported usage and evaluations of Italian and English in different domains. SVQ results from the two settings showed that subject perceptions do not necessarily match objective assessments of ethnolinguistic vitality. Both ECs and ICs had more realistic perceptions in a majority setting (study 2) than in an equal setting (study 1). Whereas in both studies, self reports of language usage reflected the dominance of the English language in Hamilton, ECs were more biased against Italian language usage in study 1 than in study 2. Setting and subjective vitality perceptions seemed to affect evaluations of language use rather than self-reported usage. These results show that the SVQ and sociolinguistic surveys, in combination, can prove to be powerful instruments in studying the dynamics of ethnic group perceptions and language attitudes in multilingual settings.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Berry, J. W., Kalin, R. and Taylor, D. H. (1977) Multiculturalism and Ethnic Attitudes in Canada.Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada.
2.
Bourhis, R. Y. (1979) Language in ethnic interaction: A social psychological approach. In H. Giles and B. Saint-Jacques (eds), Language and Ethnic Relations.Oxford: Pergamon Press.
3.
Bourhis, R. Y. (1984) Conflict and Language Planning in Quebec.Clevedon, Avon: Multilingual Matters.
4.
Bourhis, R. Y., Giles, H., and Rosenthal, D. (1981) Notes on the construction of a ‘Subjective Vitality Questionnaire’ for ethnolinguistic groups. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 2:144–55.
5.
Bourhis, R. Y. and Sachdev, I. (1984) Dimensions of Subjective Vitality in the Canadian Context. McMaster University Mimeo.
6.
Caussey, D. (1980) Residential mobility of Italian immigrants in Hamilton. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis: McMaster University.
7.
Freeman, B. (1979) The Hamilton mob and the politics of organized crime. In B. Freeman and M. Hewitt (eds), Their Town.Toronto: Lorimer Co.
8.
Gardner, R. (1979) Social psychological aspects of second language acquisition. In H. Giles and R. N. St. Clair (eds), Language and Social Psychology.Oxford: Blackwell.
9.
Genesee, F. and Bourhis, R. Y. (1982) The social psychological significance of code-switching in cross-cultural communication. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 1:1–27.
10.
Giles, H., Bourhis, R. Y. and Taylor, D. M. (1977) Towards a theory of language in ethnic group relations. In H. Giles (ed.), Language, Ethnicity and Intergroup Relations.London: Academic Press.
11.
Giles, H. and Byrne, J. (1981) The intergroup model of second language acquisition. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 3:17–40.
12.
Giles, H. and Johnson, P. (1981) The role of language in ethnic group relations. In J. C. Turner and H. Giles (eds), Intergroup Behaviour.Oxford: Blackwell.
13.
Giles, H., Rosenthal, D. and Young, L. (forthcoming) Perceived ethnolinguistic vitality: The Anglo-and Greek-Australian setting. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development.
14.
Husband, C. and Saifullah Khan, V. S. (1982) The viability of ethnolinguistic vitality: some creative doubts. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 3:193–205.
15.
Johnson, P. (1984) Language and ethnicity: the Welsh-English context. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis: University of Bristol.
16.
Johnson, P., Giles, H. and Bourhis, R. Y. (1983) The viability of ethnolinguistic vitality: A Reply. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 4:255–69.
17.
Kalin, R. and Berry, J. W. (1982) The social ecology of ethnic attitudes in Canada. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 14:97–109.
18.
Kramarae, C. (1981) Women and Men Speaking.Rowely, Mass.: Newbury House.
19.
Liebkind, K. (1982) The Swedish-speaking Finns: A case study of ethnolinguistic identity. In H. Tajfel (ed.), Social Identity and Intergroup Relations.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
20.
O'Bryan, K. G., Reitz, J. G. and Kuplowska, O. M. (1976) Non Official Languages.Ottawa: Ministry of Supplies and Services.
21.
Osgood, C. E., Suci, G. and Tannenbaum, P. H. (1957) The Measurement of Meaning, Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
22.
Pineo, P. (1977) The social standing of ethnic and social groupings. Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, 14:147–57.
23.
Rampton, M. B. H. (1984) Comments on the paper by P. Johnson, H. Giles and R. Y. Bourhis. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 5:85–87.
24.
Reitz, J. G. (1980) The Survial of Ethnic Groups.Toronto: McGraw-Hill.
25.
Roncari, A. J. (1977) Economic and cultural contributions made by the Italian immigrant in the Hamilton and surrounding area. In Symposium 1977 On the economic, social and cultural conditions of the Italian Canadian in the Hamilton-Wentworth region.Hamilton: Italian Canadian Federation of Hamilton Inc.
26.
Ryan, E. B., Giles, H. and Sebastian, R. J. (1982) An integrative perspective for the study of attitudes towards language variation. In E. B. Ryan and H. Giles (eds), Attitudes towards Language Variation: Social and Applied Contexts.London: Edward Arnold.
27.
Sachdev, I. and Bourhis, R. Y. (1984) Minimal Majorities and Minorities. European Journal of Social Psychology, 14:35–52.
28.
Saint-Blancat, C. (1983) Ethnolinguistic vitality, linguistic identity and perceived group boundaries: the case of the Valdotan and Tyrolean minorities. Paper presented at the 2nd International Conference of Social Psychology and Language, University of Bristol, England.
29.
Sweeting, H. (1982) Aspects of psycholinguistic distinctiveness. A Scottish example. Unpublished B. A. Thesis: University of Edinburgh.
30.
Tajfel, H. (1981) Human Groups and Social Categories.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
31.
Weaver, J. C. (1982) Hamilton: An Illustrated History.Toronto: Lorimer Co.
32.
Winer, B. J. (1970) Statistical Principles in Experimental Design.New York: McGraw Hill.
