Reflecting on the early foreign language exposure: multilinguals’ perceptions

Kajin, Nikola. (2018). Reflecting on the early foreign language exposure: multilinguals’ perceptions. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of English Language and Literature. [mentor Letica Krevelj, Stela].

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Abstract

This diploma paper analyses the perceptions and attitudes of six individuals towards early foreign language exposure. The participants were all born and raised in the Croatian region of Istria, an area of a diverse and complex linguistic makeup owing to its unique history and geographical position with strong ties to neighboring Italy. The paper starts with the theoretical overview of concepts relevant to the topic, including the notions of early foreign language acquisition and multilingualism, followed by a short outline of the demographic and linguistic context in which the study was conducted. The second part of the paper consists of the description of the study and its participants, followed by the results and discussion. The conclusion presents the main findings gained from the study with regards to how early foreign language exposure occurred in the participants’ cases, and how it may influence their views on language learning. The findings show that early foreign language exposure varied for each participant, causing them to have different levels of proficiency, but that this exposure helped them develop positive attitudes towards early language learning and recognize its benefits.

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