Common beliefs and openness discourses among learners of Quechua as a second language in Peru: An analysis of linguistic ideologies

In Peru, there has been a recent noticeable increase in the number of Quechua as a second language courses. This language is not frequently studied in formal instructional contexts, so it is interesting to focus on students’ beliefs. Therefore, this study was framed within the analysis of linguistic ideologies and considered common representations of Quechua. This study analyzed data from students at two language centers. The data were collected in 2022 through a questionnaire about their classes, their motivation to study, their opportunities to practice outside of class, and the usefulness they saw in their learning, among other aspects. Three main discourses were identified, confirming the most stereotypical representations of Quechua, i.e., it is a central element of Peruvian identity, it is exclusively spoken in the rural Andes, and it is the only language that its speakers know. These views were further reinforced by the ways in which the language centers offered Quechua classes on their websites. However, there were also discourses of greater openness: Some students referred to the link between Quechua and their families and the value of more contemporary linguistic practices, such as the presence of Quechua in current musical genres and social networks.