English in Denmark: Language Attitudes of Young Danes and Domains of Usage
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7146/lev112026167523Keywords:
language attitudes, domains of language use, Danish English, English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), English as a Foreign Language (EFL)Abstract
The English language is omnipresent due to globalisation processes and digitalisation, which can also be seen in Denmark. Most of the Danish population is well versed in English, which increasingly functions as a dominant second language. This article examines the language attitudes of young Danes towards different varieties of English and the domains in which English shapes their communication the most. An online survey was completed by young Danes currently living in Aarhus (n = 27), aged 20 to 27. Participants were asked to provide their initial judgements in response to a set of questions and statements. Results indicate a slight increase of English in the personal domain, though in-group loyalty to Danish remains strong. While English predominates in academic and digital domains and is expanding socially, Danish remains dominant in private or informal settings and general communication. Both Danish English and American English are preferred accents of young Danes when speaking English.
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