Linguistic insecurity in learners of english as a second language studying english at Universidad de Chile, in contrast to learners of spanish as a second language studying spanish at Stanford University and living in Chile, a contrastive anthropological study

Abstract

This study researches the cultural representations of Linguistic Insecurity in learners of English as a second language studying Linguistics and English Literature in their first year at Universidad de Chile in contrast with the insecurity felt by students of Stanford University learning Spanish as a Second or Third Language. Their previous educational background was considered and the relation of their feelings with their performance in the second language was analysed. Linguistic Insecurity then, is studied under an Anthropological scope, having in consideration the students’ emotions and feelings towards their learning process, their development and proficiency in the language. Moreover, this piece of research also analyses the pedagogical and political implications of the phenomenon of Linguistic Insecurity studied to the teaching of second languages. In Chile, English is the only language taught compulsory in primary and secondary schools, not even the native indigenous languages are taught, so, there is a clear political implication with English being a dominant language , due to Linguistic Imperialism, English is spoken by a privileged elite, to which most of the population wishes to take part in. While Spanish is not taught in American schools as a compulsory subject, and the political implications of learning Spanish as a Second Language tend to be different to the ones learners of English have, these student tend to consider Spanish as a language that allows them to meet multiple cultures, and while the purpose of learning English for most of the subjects was to find better job opportunities, for Americans it was meeting these cultures. Linguistic Insecurity may be one of the most important factors that impede learners to perform their knowledge of the language orally, and because of this, it became imperative to discuss how essential it is to consider the students emotions while learning a second language, and the importance of teaching languages as a fully intercultural process, not only cognitive, but emotional as well.