Understanding Reticence and Ambivalence Towards Speaking English: The ‘Problem’ of Limited Capital Yielded by English in a Sri Lankan State University Context

Abstract

The use of English for communicative purposes among Sri Lankan state university students has been a topic of concern for many decades as it has generally been observed that these undergraduates are either reticent or ambivalent in terms of using the target language (TL) for oral communication irrespective of their proficiency in the TL or the fact that they are enrolled in an English Medium Degree Programme (EMDP). This paper, having been informed by the contradictions implied above, offers a response to understanding the reticence and ambivalence towards speaking English through an exploration of the notion of ‘capital’ yielded by English in a state university context in Sri Lanka. This study employed a narrative case study with 5 first-year undergraduates studying for two professionoriented EMDPs offered by one academic department. Through a discussion of the positioning of English in the context explained by three main themes, this paper highlights how English use is discouraged by the hegemonic sociocultural factors that are operative in the context whereby limited opportunities for the learners to use English that ultimately enable them yield ‘capital’ are provided. This paper concludes with an emphasis on how ‘capital’ has direct implications to investment in using English in the reality of a state university in Sri Lanka and a call to instigate institutional-level support to foster a supportive academic environment that creates legitimate opportunities for the learners to yield ‘capital’ in using English.