Abstract

In this manuscript, we examine the role of Dutch as the locally-dominant language in English-medium higher education in Flanders. Linguistic-ethnographic fieldwork in an Industrial Design Engineering course was conducted over the course of the 2021-2022 academic year. This resulted in a dataset, which included both observational-interactional data from six recorded classes (totaling 12 hours and 21 minutes) and attitudinal data gathered through 83 student surveys, four student interviews, and two interviews with the lecturer. The resulting cross-section of the linguistic dimensions of the course shows a multilingual learning environment in which English and Dutch occupy complementary but not overlapping positions. The inclusion of Dutch in what is officially a monolingual, English-medium course is predicated on both pedagogical-didactic and pragmatic considerations. We focus specifically on the role of the lecturer, who emphasizes the disciplinary relevance of multilingual literacy, the role of Dutch in the process of industrial design and the undeniable embedment of the course in a Dutch-speaking environment.

How to Cite:

De Soete, A. & Slembrouck, S., (2024) “Symbiotische meertaligheid in een opleiding Industrieel Ontwerpen aan een Vlaamse universiteit: Een etnografische studie van het Nederlands in Engelstalig hoger onderwijs”, Janeway JS 78, 129–155.

Rights: @ the author(s)