Plurilingual Competence Intervened by Online Games for a Child Living in Multilingual Environment

Abstract

This research aims to analyse the plurilingual competence of English as a foreign language intervened by online games. It is a case study to a child living in multilingual environment. Plurilingualism that is the dynamic and developing linguistic repertoire of an individual language learner becomes something researchable for a child who is studying more than one language and culture in a mulitilingual environment. Online games that have become popular recently give some effects specially relating to the language used by the child. Metalinguistics, a study focusing on the relationship between language factors and non-language factors in society is the theory used to analyse the data. There are some tools used in this research: (1) phonology, (2) syntax, (3) semantics, (4) sociolinguistics. The data are analysed and described qualitatively. Some results obtained are (1) the language background and repertoire of the child are variegated in terms of languages known and degree of competence and (2) the metalinguistics awareness in the child’s first language leads to better results when learning English, especially in the specific context observed, that is on the language used in playing online games. The child has his own competency on the spelling and he has known the meaning of some words he spells for English words used when playing the online games