Wpływ postaw wobec języka na charakter kontaktu językowego. Na przykładzie sytuacji językowej dzieci i młodzieży z Polskiego Centrum Kulturalnego w Stryju (Ukraina)

Abstract

Except of the linguistic factors influencing language contact, there are important extralinguistic (non-structural) ones. These are the sociological and psychological factors. The notion of attitude belongs to the symbolic sphere and is a highly complex term. However it strongly influences such aspects of bilingualism as language choice, interference and others. Although it is very difficult to measure and describe attitudes towards language as well as their linguistic and social consequences, we should not neglect this field of language contact studies. The article is an attempt to apply the sociological theory of attitudes and prestige to the language situation of the youth attending classes during summer school in 2007 in the Polish Cultural Centre in Striy. On the basis of the sociolinguistic research one has to underline the importance of attitudes towards languages in the bilingual society.