Oldal 100 [100]
CHAPTER 5 BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Table 8: Statements on attitude to English above average (the average score of the
responses is 2.7) in descending order
Ranking of Average means
Statements
statements scores of responses
(S15) Knowing English is important in
1 order for me to be involved in the com- 3.6
munity.
2 (S14) Knowing English is more important 3.2
for socio-economic advancement.
On the other hand, for G1 speakers, Hungarian as the best means of self¬
expression is significantly more important than for their G2 fellows (S20: "T feel
I can express best who I am when I speak Hungarian” — G1: 2.6 5 G2: 1.1). G1
speakers also showed a more supportive attitude to the statement claiming that
(S12) “Hungarian should be the first language learned at home in Hungarian
families living in North Carolina” (G1: 2.5 > G2: 1.9).
G1 members highly evaluate English as a means of being involved in the US
society (“Knowing English is important in order for me to be involved in the
community” — G1: 3.7 > G2: 1.3) and as that of socio-economic advancement
(“Knowing English is more important for socio-economic advancement” — G1:
3.5 > G2: 2.4)
For G2 members, on the other hand, English is the best means of self¬
expression (“I feel I can best express who I am when I speak English” — G2: 2
> GI: 1.2)
As for code-switching, the most characteristic attitude in the entire
sample is a neutral one, that is, subjects acknowledge that “It is common for
Hungarians who live in North Carolina to mix Hungarian and English when
they speak” - (2.8).
Table 9: Attitudes to the Hungarian language in G1 vs. G2 groups
Average means scores Average means scores
Statements of responses given by of responses given by
G1 speakers G2 speakers
(S2) Knowing Hungarian
in North Carolina is a 1.5 2.8
cultural advantage.
(S3) Knowing Hungarian
makes me a more 2.7 3.3
intelligent person.
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