Milli mála - 2023, Side 107

MILLI MÁLA
Milli mála 15/2/2023 107
The purpose of this study is to examine predictors of self-reported
language proficiency and satisfaction with Icelandic language courses
among adult immigrants in Iceland. Investigating immigrants’ self-
reported Icelandic proficiency and their satisfaction with language
courses allows us to provide insights into peoples’ experiences with
formal language training in Icelandic as a second language, their self-
reported proficiency in Icelandic, use of the language, as well as a
better understanding of how language training and language profi-
ciency are related.
There are several reasons why Iceland is an interesting case study
to study immigrants’ experiences while learning the language of the
receiving society. Firstly, knowledge about the process of language
acquisition among immigrants is mainly based on studies conducted
in larger language communities with longer histories of immigration
and researchers have only recently turned their attention to studying
immigrants’ experiences learning smaller languages (Hoffmann and
Holm 2021; Rosiak 2023). Secondly, the Icelandic language context
is characterized by ideologies of linguistic purism, which implies that
increasing migration to Iceland poses the question how non-native
Icelandic speakers are perceived and integrated into the Icelandic
speaking community (Bade 2019; Kristinsson 2018). Thirdly, Iceland’s
migration policies and educational program in Icelandic as a second
language were implemented relatively recently (Innes 2020), making
Iceland an interesting case to study how formal language training,
language acquisition of immigrants, and inclusion in the receiving
society are linked.
We aim to answer the following research questions:
a) Which demographic, social, and economic factors determine
Icelandic proficiency among immigrants in Iceland?
b) What are the factors contributing to the satisfaction or dissat-
isfaction of immigrants with language courses in Iceland?
c) How are language proficiency and satisfaction with language
courses related to immigrants’ socio-cultural and economic
involvement and inclusion in Icelandic society (e.g., social con-
tacts, participation in local associations, and income)?
LARA W. HOFFMANN, YVONNE HÖLLER, MARKUS MECKL