Privileged foreign language, bilingualism or “Englishisation”: Czech youth preferences for English language use outside of school

The available statistics regarding the use of English as a foreign or second language (EFL and ESL, respectively) in the Czech Republic reveal a significant and ongoing increase in both the number of users and their self-assessed proficiency across the population. The proportion of students learning English within the formal education system continues to rise, and, in the light of the Czech government's foreign language policy, this trend is expected to persist. In addition to its use in educational settings, English is increasingly prevalent in informal conversations among young people outside of school. English-language entertainment, particularly content available on the internet, appears to be one of the most popular—if not the most preferred—forms of leisure activity among this demographic. The aim of this study was to investigate the sociolinguistic phenomenon of the preference for English over Czech among Czech youth in their extracurricular activities. The results of a questionnaire administered to general upper secondary and tertiary students in selected schools across the Czech Republic demonstrate that the interest in the English language and its associated culture is substantial. Respondents report using English far more frequently outside of school than within it. This shift has notable implications for intergroup and intergenerational communication, as well as for attitudes toward the Czech language and its cultural identity. It has been observed to sometimes result in difficulties with recalling Czech vocabulary and applying Czech syntax correctly, leading to an internal conflict regarding the prioritization of either Czech or English. This phenomenon warrants further scholarly attention, as research in this area could offer valuable insights into the potential trajectory of communication within Czech society. Furthermore, such studies could provide more accurate projections regarding the future profile of university-level language learners, thereby informing the development of English language curricula and pedagogical strategies that are better aligned with societal needs. Keywords: English as a lingua franca, EFL, ESL, language status, cultural identity, cognition, emotions, translanguaging, sociolinguistics