How technology is affecting English language acquisition and English language use in Maltese children : a sociolinguistic study

Abstract

Even though the two official languages in Malta are Maltese and English, it is the Maltese language which is spoken in the majority of Maltese homes. Therefore, exposure to English is most likely to be through devices such as the television, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and gaming consoles. This study uses both quantitative and qualitative methods in order to determine how the use of technological devices, both at home and in the early years of primary schools, is affecting language acquisition and language use in young Maltese children. The results of this study indicate that the Maltese language does not seem to be in danger of being lost as it is still present in many aspects of the children’s lives. The use of technology is, however, a big part of children’s lives, since they are exposed to it daily, both at home and in their schools. The results of the survey reveal that according to parents, only half the Maltese children prefer to speak in Maltese. The home observations showed that children did tend to speak in English, but only when interacting with their device. Once they started speaking to their relatives they either switched to Maltese, or code-switched between English and Maltese. This indicates that the dominant language of choice when speaking with relatives still seems to be Maltese.