Multilingualism and interlanguage in the mirror of introspection

Abstract

The modern stage of the development of linguistic science, which is generally characterized by an anthropocentric approach, is distinguished by increased attention of researchers to such phenomena as multilingualism and interlanguage. Multilingualism in the modern world has become a mass phenomenon and it has various forms of existence and manifestation. The purpose of this article is to study the mutual influence of different language systems within the framework of a single linguistic consciousness of a multilingual based on an interlanguage that is being formed in the conditions of educational multilingualism. Educational multilingualism presupposes the existence of a situationwhen, in addition to the native language, a person speaks English as the first foreign language and one or more others foreign languages. At the same time, all foreign languages are in the status of an interlanguage: a mobile and changeable transitional speech code. Taking as a basic premise the thesis that the linguistic consciousness of an individual is one, it should be assumed that various linguistic codes included in the sphere of linguistic consciousness are in constant interaction with each other. Empirical observations of French language teachers record numerous cases of interference with both the mother tongue and the first foreign language. Often, in the speech of students, we can observe lexical calques based on elements of the Russian or English languages, as well as syntactic structures inherent in these languages. Observations show that students are not always aware of the source of the structure realized in speech, which is often erroneous. To achieve this goal, a survey of MGIMO students was conducted in order to understand whether students are aware of the fact of mutual penetration, mixing of speech codes in their mind, what kind of difficulties they experience in a situation of educational multilingualism, and how much the organization of the educational process helps them in overcoming difficulties. The results of the survey showed that students positively perceive the parallel study of several foreign languages and are inclined to believe that the first foreign language does not interfere with subsequent languages. Rather, they regard the first foreign language as a basis for learning other ones. On a conscious level they are, in the main, not afraid of interference, and they support the explicit comparison of different languages in the learning process. The most part of them recognize the comparison with the mother tongue as necessary and useful.