Attitudes of Romanian and Italian Military Students regarding English Second Language Acquisition

Abstract

This paper aims to identify the attitudes of Italian and Romanian military students towards English and explore the role of personal motivation and cultural background in the process of second language acquisition. The methodology applied involves both a quantitative and a qualitative analysis of data collected based on a multilevel questionnaire involving forty students age 18–20, who are enrolled in the military academies of Bucharest and Viterbo. This research is enforced by a multidisciplinary theoretical framework, which connects language studies, psychology and sociology, and is further accompanied by charts that reveal the similitudes and the differences between the two groups of participants. In terms of originality, this study is a premiere at both national and international level, similar works being absent or lacking public exposure. This paper proves that the way in which students relate to the language they are supposed to learn influences their proficiency and provides important insight for designing and conducting both useful and entertaining English language seminars.