Linguistic and Socio-Cultural Outcomes of the Au Pair Experience in the United Kingdom

Abstract

It is a widely accepted belief that the best way to master a new language is to live in the country where the language is spoken. For young people, one of the most popular ways of immersing themselves in the host environment is to become an au pair: move in with a family and look after their children to get first-hand experience of the culture and become a proficient user of their language. The present study explores 10 Hungarian undergraduates’ socio-cultural and linguistic experiences and their perceptions of their au pair experiences in the UK as au pairs. Data were collected by a structured interview and a self-assessment language proficiency scale. Participants reported that after their experience, they overwhelmingly felt that they had achieved their goals: (1) they improved their proficiency, especially their oral production skills by becoming ‘more fluent’ in English; (2) they became independent and this experience helped them ‘grow up’. It has also emerged from their narratives that despite living with native speakers and having positive attitudes towards them and their culture, they found it difficult to establish closer contact with them. A kvalitatív kutatás tíz magyar gyermekfelügyelo nyelvi és szocio-kulturális tapasztalatát tárja fel Angliában. Az adatokat strukturált interjú és önértékelési skála segítségével gyujtöttük. A résztvevok szerint beszédkészségük és kiejtésük javult, attitudjük az anyanyelvu beszélokhöz kedvezoen alakult, bár interakciójuk korlátozott volt velük, valamint sikerült felnotté válniuk.