Thanks Phil!
Yes, these are very practical skills--but fluency in these skills seems
also to depend on the kinds of domains and our sociocultural experiences;
e.g., I can do better in English than in my L1 (Cantonese) when saying the
same thing in different ways IF the topic is in my academic/professional
domains; as for predicting, it also depends on the domains or the
sociocultural activities; I suppose for some bi/multilinguals it's very
difficult to say which language is strictly her/his L1 and which languages
strictly her/his L2s; it's not that clear-cut. I think Halliday will also
agree to that. In general, I would say that his observations are
true. However, in multilingual societies, it's not that easily or neatly
classified (i.e., the boundaries between L1/L2/L3 are not so neat). Yes, I
like Homi Bhabha's works, as well as some recent ones by Ien Ang in
Australia on multiculturalism; e.g., her 2001 book, "On not speaking Chinese".
BTW, the SARS virus has gradually been under control in Hong Kong and there
are fewer and fewer cases in Hong Kong now. We're also happy in Hong Kong
to see that the central government leaders of Mainland China have just
sacked/replaced its Health officials for their earlier malpractices (e.g.,
covering up the spread of the virus in Mainland China since November last
year--this has led to Hong Kong and its neighbors losing valuable time in
taking precautions against the virus in March this year). After all, the
Chinese leaders must have now realized that they now belong to the global
village and cannot do whatever they like (as in ancient dynasties!).
Economic prosperity is not all, but more important is also civic education
and the development of a sense of global citizenship in an intercultural
world! Many people in Hong Kong have been very upset about certain
pre-modern practices of Mainland China (e.g., their earlier denial and
covering up of the spread of the virus), but to be fair then, we also need
to contribute our parts to the modernization of China--for the good of the
whole world! They do have the intention to reform their practices, as we
can see now (better late than never). I do hope that it will become a
modern and responsible member of the world. I'm critical and I might sound
unpatriotic, but I'm actually very agonized to see China suffering in these
ways--if it only focuses on economics and not also on its education and its
ways of running things.
Best,
Angel
>Here yee, Angel. On a very practical note, Halliday (Language as Social
>Semiotic 1978) claims that no language can ever completely replace the
>mother tongue, and for second language learners/users, certain kinds of
>abilities are difficult to acquire in another language, including;
>
>1. Saying the same thing in different ways
>2. Hesitating, and saying nothing very much (or waffling while thinking
>what to say next)
>3. Predicting what the other person is going to say
>4. Adding new verbal skills (learning new words and meanings) while
>talking and listening
>
>These "abilities" (socioculturally acquired practices in the mother
>tongue) seem to me to be essential for inclusion in the dominant-language
>sociocultural milieu, including the classroom. I think this points to some
>very important considerations in terms of the politics of education
>vis-a-vis children and adults with a minority L1, as well as to the
>language development conditions that EFL/ESL teachers create in the classroom.
>
> >>I think postcolonial studies and globalization studies will
>be as useful resources as language learning theories.
>
>A good start is Homi Bhabha's 'The Location of Culture' (thankfully
>recommended by Jay Lemke).
>
>Interesting topic!
>
>Phil
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