Co? Was? German-Polish Linguistic Attitudes in Frankfurt (Oder)
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2011
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Swarthmore College. Dept. of Linguistics
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Thesis (B.A.)
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en_US
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Full copyright to this work is retained by the student author. It may only be used for non-commercial, research, and educational purposes. All other uses are restricted.
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Abstract
In this study I analyze the linguistic attitudes held by Polish and German speakers
in the border towns of Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany and Slubice, Poland, held
together by a cross-border university. I consider the historical background in the
relationship between the two communities, including but not limited to the effect
of Germany and Poland's separate entrances into the European Union and
Schengen zone, which have divided the two countries until recently, as well as
the adoption of the Euro in both Germany and, later, Poland. With consideration
of this history, I explore the concept of linguistic attitudes in other border
communities to mark parallels and differences in the attitudes of speakers on each
side of the border, most notably different because of the presence of the
university on both sides of the dividing river. I supplement this research with a
study conducted on speakers themselves within each side of the community to
explore the underlying thoughts and ideas behind attitudes toward speakers of the
other language, investigating why so many Polish speakers are fluent in German,
while only a few German students endeavor to learn Polish. The research we
have conducted here explores a very important aspect of language attitudes as a
proxy for European geo-political relations as exemplified in the role of Poland as
an outlier in the European Union due to its late joining and reluctant acceptance
of the Euro. Though student relations on the border are strong, the heart of
Slubice remains untouched by German residents, despite full osmosis of Polish
citizens into the heart of Frankfurt. Scholars of European relations and linguistic
attitudes alike will find merit in this thesis as a study of attitudes both toward
speakers and of speakers.