In a conference paper on the economic value of languages in Slovenia, we presented some of the findings obtained in our research work at an international conference, professional and general public. There is wild agreement among scholars that economic factors play an important role in the preservation of the ethnolinguistic vitality of different groups within a society, and in the choice and use of individual languages. The interaction between the economy and multilingualism is increasingly clear, with economic variables having an important influence on language diversity, language maintenance, and language shift. The paper examines whether bilingualism has a real economic value in the officially recognized nationally/ethnically mixed regions of Slovenia, or whether its value is restricted to the educational and cultural spheres, and to issues of identity. We shall present a broad look at the economic value of language knowledge and focus on some research data comparing the situation in the public and private sectors, considering to what extent bilingual language skills are taken into account during the recruitment process and whether individuals who use both languages during their work are rewarded for this (bilingualism bonus program). Further insight into prevailing attitudes towards the value of multilingualism will be presented, specifically in relation to the ethnically mixed regions in Prekmurje. The paper provides an expert basis for the preparation of language policy.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 13887053The paper is especially important for the exchange of knowledge and research results with foreign experts in Hungary. Sixty years of bilingual primary school in Prekmurje, Slovenia is an opportunity to review the successes of bilingual education. Both the positive and negative sides and the effects of bilingual education on the development of the languages of a multicultural area are evident. In particular, the paper presents an overview of the development of the Hungarian language and (non-standard) language versions, existing trends in bilingual education, and the possibilities of using languages in education in the bilingual area and outside it. The links between knowledge and use of languages, the nature of the relationship between the preservation of a minority language, and the needs of the labor market are presented.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 24920072The conference paper address the implications of the use of Slovene language for instruction at the university study in Slovenia.It pinpoints a contradiction that has been a problem of teacher education in Maribor for decades: future teachers are educated at the university only in Slovene. If teachers want to teach in bilingual schools in the Prekmurje region, they must have a correspondingly high knowledge of two languages (Slovene and Hungarian). Both politics and the profession are dealing with this problem. The amendment to the Special Rights Act of the Italian and Hungarian national communities in the field of education in 2018 more concretely defines the expected level of knowledge of the Hungarian language of teachers. Hungarian language students and future teachers have the opportunity to take a language exam and volunteer courses at the Department of Hungarian Language and Literature at the Faculty of Arts, University of Maribor. The paper also presents to foreign experts the first experiences with courses of Hungarian language and the use of language versions (regional and standard).
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 24949512The study includes a presentation of the socio-historical context in which the Hungarian community lives, spatial settlements and demographic structures of the Hungarian community, the legal framework of institutional bilingualism and its implementation in practice, the legal framework of bilingual education and implementation in practice and all results of the empirical research among pupils, students, parents, professionals in education, users of public sector services and findings on the implementation of bilingual business in a nationally mixed area. The study brings important findings for the Hungarian national community itself and language policymakers.
F.02 Acquisition of new scientific knowledge
COBISS.SI-ID: 14159949The paper was presented at the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia at the conference Bilingual Education - View from Several Perspectives, which was attended by debaters of various profiles, namely Slovenian and Hungarian political representatives, members of minority communities, experts in education and ethnic studies. It highlighted some of the shortcomings of bilingual education, especially the professional and language competences of teachers. In addition to the Hungarian language program, the Department of Hungarian Language and Literature of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Maribor also offers elective courses and lectures at various levels of difficulty to students from other faculties, which enable the acquisition of higher language competencies. Unfortunately, the interest on the part of the students or teachers is not great, which is a problem
B.06 Other
COBISS.SI-ID: 24436488