Langue maternelle, langue ancestral: un paradoxe linguistique

Abstract

This article deals with the implications of Aboriginal communicative norms and interaction patterns on the development of linguistic competence in Aboriginal students, with special attention to the behavioral norm of noninterference in their interactions with others. More specifically, this paper argues that many Aboriginal students for whom English is their mother tongue find themselves in a similar situation as ESL learners insofar as they communicate and interact in ways that are consistent with their ancestral language. Drawing on ethnographic research with Aboriginal communities, this article outlines the sociolinguistic difficulties that many Aboriginal people encounter in their relationships with dominant culture researchers as well as teachers. This article stresses the need to recognize the development of dual linguistic competence in Aboriginal students, thereby contributing to their educational success.