Multilingualism is a characteristic of the linguistic vitality of Macau society, with Chinese, Portuguese, and English being the dominant languages. This has promoted the integration and development of Macau's multiculture and the diversification of its education system. The current state of multilingualism and multiculture in Macau is closely related to its historical development and language policies during different periods, and has practical significance.
This study explores the relationship between cultural identity, language attitude, and language education of Macau secondary school students based on the theory of culture identity, language attitude, and the relationship between education and culture. Using both quantitative surveys and qualitative interview coding methods, it investigates the current status, components, and relationships of cultural identity, language attitudes, and language education in Macau secondary schools. The study develops a cultural identity and language attitude theory suitable for the linguistic environment of Macau. Through multiple regression analysis, it explores the regression model of how cultural identity and language attitude influence language education.
To achieve the research objectives, the study sampled a certain number of students from four types of schools in Macau: Cantonese-medium, English-medium, Portuguese-medium, and Mandarin-medium schools, obtaining a total of 634 valid responses. The quantitative part of the study uses cultural identity, language attitude, and language education scales to explore the relationships among these three factors in Macau secondary school students. Differential analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted, and a structural equation model was built to describe relationships. To further validate and complement the quantitative findings, a semi-structured interview outline was developed, focusing on issues such as the selection and recognition of multiculturalism, the language attitudes toward the triliteracy (Chinese, English, and Portuguese),and quadrilingualism (Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and Portuguese), the current status and perceptions of language education, and the relationship between cultural identity, language attitude, and language education. Eleven secondary school students and relevant educational professionals in Macau were interviewed, and the data were coded and analyzed using grounded theory. The main findings of the research are as follows:
The overall characteristic of cultural identity in Macau secondary school students is multicultural identity, consisting of local Macau culture, Chinese culture, Cantonese culture, English culture, and Portuguese culture, which interweave and influence each other. This forms the cultural characteristic of Macau's inclusive and compatible multiculture, comprising national cultural identity, local cultural identity, global cultural identity, and language cultural identity.
The predominant language attitude among Macau secondary school students is supportive of multilingualism. Their support for multilingualism is manifested in two aspects: first, the value of multilingualism; second, the cognitive acceptance of multilingualism. Macau students generally recognize and accept the value of Chinese, English, and Portuguese multilingualism. Mandarin, as the national lingua franca and a shared ethnic language, is well mastered by Macau students and is increasingly used in daily communication. English, as a global language and international lingua franca, is spoken at a higher level than in mainland China. Macau students generally have a high level of acceptance of English and recognize its importance for future overseas study and cross-cultural communication. Most students are capable of communicating effectively in English. Cantonese, being the local dialect and native language of Macau, is a common language among Macau’s ethnic groups. It is emotionally cherished by the people of Macau and serves as a symbol of Macau's culture. It plays a dominant role in verbal communication among Macau students.
The multilingual curriculum arrangement of first, second, and third languages in different types of schools in Macau provides a solid foundation for nurturing talents with multilingual proficiency in Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and Portuguese. Half of Macau secondary school students prefer bilingual or multilingual classrooms, with a stronger preference for Chinese-English bilingual classes over Chinese-Portuguese bilingual classes.
The quantitative research confirmed that there are significant correlations and regression relationships between cultural identity, language attitudes, and language education. Cultural identity positively influences language attitudes. Macau cultural identity and subcultural identity significantly predict language attitudes. Language attitudes positively affect language education, with the value of multilingualism having a positive impact on language education. Cultural identity positively influences language education, with Macau cultural identity positively affecting language education. Both cultural identity and language attitudes have a significant positive effect on language education. Cultural identity indirectly influences language education through language attitudes.
Based on the qualitative coding results, a relationship model diagram was constructed for cultural identity, language attitudes, and language education, indicating that these three factors influence each other. Cultural identity influences language attitudes through language use, and language attitudes affect language education through language identity.
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