Divided by a Common Language: A Survey-Based Analysis of the Linguistic Norm in the EFL Classroom in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation

Abstract

In an era where English has several standard varieties, British English has been considered the reference norm for teaching English as a foreign language in Europe for several hundred years. With the advent of globalisation and the cultural influence of the United States, it seems necessary to examine the current state of this norm in the education system in French-speaking Belgium, but also the attitudes displayed by those in the education system who could uphold the state of the linguistic norm. This dissertation investigates the reference norm of EFL in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, with a choice between the two predominant standard varieties: British English and American English. The analysis was conducted both quantitatively, through a sociolinguistic survey carried out among (student) teachers, and qualitatively by means of interviews with inspectors, educational advisors and professors who could have an influence on the variety of English promoted and learned in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.