Volume: 27  Number: 5  Page: 413–429  doi:10.2167/jmmd426.1

Attitudes and Motivation Versus Language Achievement in Cross-linguistic Settings. What is Cause and What Effect?

Ángel Huguet Department of Pedagogy and Psychology, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain

In the bilingual contexts of two regions of Spain, Asturias (Asturian/Spanish) and Eastern Aragon (Catalan/Spanish), and given the relationship between language attitudes and linguistic proficiency, our study has two objectives. Firstly, the attitudes to the two contact languages are described. Secondly, the variables that can explain such attitudes are studied. A questionnaire that had been successfully implemented in other areas was adapted and applied to a sample of 231 pupils in Asturias and 163 pupils in Eastern Aragon, all in their second year of secondary schooling (aged 13–14). In each case, the results showed globally favourable attitudes to both languages in contact, although these are determined by (1) a significant influence derived from attending Asturian lessons in Asturias or Catalan classes in Eastern Aragon and (2) the subjects' home language.

Keywords: Spain, bilingualism, bilingual education, language attitudes, L1–L2

© 2006 A. Huguet

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