Language Skills and Status Attainment in Taiwan

Autor/in	Tsai, Shu-Ling
Titel	Language Skills and Status Attainment in Taiwan
Quelle	In: Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 9 (2010) 4, S.229-249 (21 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1534-8458
Schlagwörter	Socioeconomic Status; Compulsory Education; Official Languages; Educational Attainment; Global Approach; Foreign Countries; Mandarin Chinese; Language Skills; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Language Proficiency; Language Fluency; Case Studies; Language Role; Taiwan + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Socio-economic status; Sozioökonomischer Status; Schulpflicht; Office language; Amtssprache; Bildungsabschluss; Bildungsgut; Globales Denken; Ausland; Language skill; Sprachkompetenz; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Language skills; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study
Abstract	This article addresses the importance of language underlying the stratification process in Taiwan within the context of globalization. Specifically, I ask if one's language skills may serve as a key to getting ahead. The Taiwanese government has imposed Mandarin as the official language since 1945 and introduced English courses into compulsory education since 1968. Using panel data, I examine to what extent one's levels of proficiency in various languages help explain the variation in socioeconomic status that is not explained by educational attainment. The results indicate that although education is a major mechanism of socioeconomic achievements, both English- and Mandarin-proficiency make their respective significant contributions as well. More important, I find that people in Taiwan may advance their socioeconomic status more with fluency in English than with fluency in Mandarin. This case study documents how a global language like English may play a role in an East Asian society like Taiwan. (Contains 8 tables and 3 footnotes.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10