POŽIŪRIS Į VALSTYBINĘ KALBĄ SOCIOLINGVISTINĖS APKLAUSOS DUOMENIMIS
ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACCORDING TO THE DATA OF SOCIOLINGUISTIC SURVEY

Summary/Abstract: The survey of linguistic behaviour, linguistic attitudes, and national identity of the residents of the biggest Lithuanian cities – Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda – was performed in 2007 – 2009; there were interviewed 2.024 respondents. Absolute majority indicated that it is important or highly important to know the official Lithuanian language. The main reason why it is important to know the official language was that a Lithuanian citizen must know it (this reason was indicated by 86 % of residents in Kaunas and 80 % of residents in Vilnius as well as Klaipėda). Another reason to know the language is “to be accepted by the society”: this reason was indicated by 16 % of residents in Kaunas and 29 % of residents in Vilnius as well as Klaipėda; and “to be treated as a person of equal value” (residents of Kaunas – 20 %, residents of Vilnius and Klaipėda – 24 % (perhaps, the number of residents of the cities, which are not that uniform nationally, also summarized their own experience, therefore, the percentage is higher). A more uniform Kaunas considered the assessment of society more important than of an individual: “to not be cloistered” – 21 %, accordingly in Vilnius and Klaipėda – 16 %. Almost every fourth resident in Kaunas gave an affirmative answer (72 %) to the question about the necessity of the official language examination for Lithuanian citizens, whereas in Vilnius and Klaipėda such answer was given by every third resident (67 %). The respondents showed more tolerance in regard to the foreigners, who arrive to Lithuania: only half of the residents in Kaunas (51 %) and 47 % of the residents in Vilnius as well as Klaipėda indicated that non-Lithuanian citizens should take this examination. The main reason why the foreign born Lithuanian citizens have to take the official language examination is indicated as the guarantee of equal opportunities (53 % of the residents in Kaunas and 63 % of the residents in Vilnius as well as Klaipėda). Another reason of no less importance is the element of certain compulsion – “to force to study the Lithuanian language” (36 % of the residents in Kaunas and 39 % of the residents in Vilnius as well as Klaipėda). A rather important reason is also deemed to be the possibility to raise the level of the Lithuanian language knowledge. KEY WORDS: official language, sociolinguistic survey, residents of cities, official language examination, citizens of other nationality.

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