Linguistic Repertoire, and (Multilingual) Language Use of Adolescents in Germany

• Applicant: Dr. Nora von Dewitz
• Subject Area: Applied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 505878907

Research shows a high amount of variation in the linguistic repertoires of adolescents in Germany. However, there is no reliable and large-scale investigation of their access to and creation of mono- and multilingual contexts and spaces, or of the language(s) and varieties they use in different situations. Yet, the insights of such studies were of high relevance for further research as they would provide a basis of study designs as well as language planning or curricula. Their lack is mostly due to the methodological challenge of a comprehensive and valid elicitation of language use in context. The proposed project closes this gap by using ambulatory assessment (comprising experience-sampling-method and ecological-momentary-assessment as cover term): A gamified smartphone app conducts short queries regarding the current situation and thus records the language use of multilingual and monolingual students (grades 7-9) in as wide a range of contexts as possible. The survey comprises languages and varieties as well as multilingual practices in order to obtain a valid picture of the variation within different communicative settings. The method is well established in (clinical) psychology and other fields and enables a low-threshold access to the participants. At the same time, it improves the quality of the data, especially with regard to its validity, as short queries are carried out at different times of the day over a certain period of time. One contribution of the project therefore is of a methodological nature: The project will provide further insight into digital data elicitation by a gamified app using one’s own device, and particularly into the use of ambulatory assessment in applied linguistics research. Moreover, taking context and perspective into account, it contributes to the theoretical and empirical discussion of adequate ways to include linguistic variation into research. The planned project provides a basis for qualitative studies as well as language acquisition studies, including longitudinal designs. In addition, other researchers can benefit from the results, as they address a weakness in data collection through questionnaires. Thus, it can serve as a starting point for projects with other research questions. Empirical data regarding the diversity of adolescents’ linguistic practices provides an important base for theoretical and practical considerations, both in academia, and in the public debate, e.g. when it comes to the multilingual classroom or teacher training.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Sweden
• Cooperation Partner: Professorin Dr. Marianne Gullberg