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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 selfexpression 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 selfexpression (“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. + 98 +
