Learners' Conceptions of Language: An Exploration of Potential Contributions from Folk Linguistics

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Despite the abundance of studies on learners' beliefs in the field of second language acquisition, very few have addressed learners' conceptions of the language itself. In this article, we argue that examining these conceptions is crucial for understanding the beliefs and attitudes students hold towards other languages and their learning processes. Specifically, we observe how a prescriptive view of language can influence students' expectations regarding the nature of the content being learned. Additionally, we note that the notion of correctness is often imprecise and ambiguous within the educational context. Furthermore, we explore how learners' conceptions about language components are intricately linked to their expectations about language learning. In particular, we observe that an emphasis on words as the primary object of learning can be detrimental to sociopragmatic factors. Moreover, we note that the folk conception of meaning as a rigid and context-independent entity can lead to a naïve universalist perspective, privileging the L1 as a means to understand and evaluate the L2. To delve into learners' conceptions of language, we propose the use of qualitative methods grounded in folk linguistics. Folk linguistics is the study of non-linguists' beliefs and ideas about language and language learning, including how they perceive and describe language use. This approach involves the study of metalanguage through discoursal data, which can be gathered both through metacognitive and contextual approaches. Additionally, we suggest that understanding the folklinguistic notions held by educators and those embedded in teaching materials is significant in this line of research, as it can help in designing and implementing educational interventions that are more closely aligned with learners' pre-existing conceptions, potentially leading to improved learning outcomes.