Ö-mål i skolan. Skolans dialekthygien i Göteborgs norra skärgård förr och idag.

Abstract

This study examines how the dialect Ö-mål, spoken in the northern archipelago of Gothenburg, has been treated in school over time and how it is perceived today by former students, one current upper-secondary student, and teachers. Drawing on concepts such as "Standard Language Ideology", linguistic capital, dialect levelling, accommodation, and code-switching, the study explores attitudes towards dialect use and experiences of linguistic norms in educational settings. The material consists of qualitative interviews with eight former students and Ö-mål speakers in their 50s–60s, one current upper-secondary student from the area, and two teachers, one former and one current. The findings suggest that dialect use was more frequently corrected or discouraged in school in the past, while contemporary attitudes are generally more accepting. Although dialect use was commented on more in the past, most of the former students never experienced explicit discouragement from their respective schools in the area. At the same time, standard Swedish continues to hold greater institutional prestige, much with the help of schools. The results also indicate ongoing dialect levelling among younger speakers, although certain dialect features remain important markers of local identity.