Loving Your Grandparents: Family Relationship in Shaping Language Policy

Indah Sari Lubis

Abstract


This study explores the influence of family relationships on family language policies and the preservation of local languages within the multilingual context of Samarinda, Indonesia. Utilizing Bourdieu’s concept of social capital, the research focuses on three families chosen through purposive sampling to ensure relevance to the study’s objectives. The participants include grandparents, parents, and children, selected based on their diverse linguistic background and their active engagement in intergenerational language transmission. The sample was designed to understand how emotional bonds and intergenerational interactions impact children’s language proficiency and aspirations. Through qualitative interviews, the study reveals that strong familial ties, particularly with grandparents, foster positive attitudes and proficiency in local languages. In contrast, limited interactions and linguistic disconnects contribute to a preference for Indonesian over local dialects. The findings underscore the critical role of grandparents in maintaining linguistic diversity and highlight the need for supportive family environments to sustain bilingualism. This research provides a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics at play in family language policies. It emphasizes the importance of intergenerational relationships in preserving linguistic heritage. This study also discusses the implications of these findings for language policy and planning, suggesting that efforts to preserve local languages must consider the familial and emotional contexts in which these languages are used. Overall, this research underscores the vital role of family dynamics in shaping language use and attitudes, advocating for policies that support intergenerational communication and language transmission.


Keywords


family language policy; social capital; intergenerational relationships; linguistic diversity; bilingualism

Full Text:

PDF

References


Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. In J. G. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education (pp. 241–258). Connecticut: Greenwood Press.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.

Bui, T. M. T., Filipi, A., & Turner, M. (2024). ‘I need to learn Vietnamese to speak to my grandma’: The place of family relationships in family language policy. International Journal of Multilingualism, May, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/14790718.2024.2340748

Chen, L. (2023). Language policy and Mandarin investment of tertiary chinese heritage language learners from dialect backgrounds in New Zealand. Unpublished Ph.D thesis, University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Clyne, M. G. (1982). Multilingual Australia: Resources, needs, policies. Paris: River Seine Publications.

Curdt-Christiansen, X. L. (2009). Invisible and visible language planning: ideological factors in the family language policy of Chinese immigrant families in Quebec. Language Policy, 8(4), 351–375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10993-009-9146-7

Curdt-Christiansen, X. L., & Huang, J. (2020). 9 factors influencing family language policy. In A. Schalley & S. Eisenchlas (Eds.), Handbook of home language maintenance and development (pp. 174–193). Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501510175-009

Curdt-christiansen, X. L., & Iwaniec, J. (2023). ‘ 妈妈 , I miss you ’: Emotional multilingual practices in transnational families. International Journal of Bilingualism, 7(2), 159–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/13670069221125342

Curdt-Christiansen, X. L., & Wang, W. (2018). Parents as agents of multilingual education: family language planning in China. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 31(3), 235–254. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2018.1504394

De Houwer, A. (2020). Harmonious Bilingualism: Well-being for families in bilingual settings. In A. Schalley & S. Eisenchlas (Eds.), Handbook of home language maintenance and development: Social and affective factors (pp. 63–83). Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501510175-004

Fillmore, L. W. (2000). Loss of family languages: Should educators be concerned? Theory into Practice, 39(4), 203–210. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip3904_3

Humeau, C., Guimard, P., Nocus, I., & Galharret, J. (2023). Parental language practices and children’s use of the minority language: The mediating role of children’s language attitudes. International Journal of Bilingualism, 0(0), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/13670069231207326

Liddicoat, A. J., & Baldauf, R. B. (2008). Language planning in local contexts: Agents, contexts and interactions. Language Planning and Policy: Language Planning in Local Contexts, December 2008, 3–17. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847690647-002

Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned (4th ed.). United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.

Little, S. (2023). ‘Half of who you are’: Parent and child reflections on the emotional experiences of reversing familial language shift. International Journal of Bilingualism, 27(2), 217–231. https://doi.org/10.1177/13670069221125705

Luykx, A. (2003). Weaving languages together: Family language policy and gender socialization in bilingual Aymara households. In R. Bayley & S. Schecter (Eds.), Language socialization in bilingual and multilingual societies (pp. 25–43). Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters.

https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.21832/9781853596377-005

Macalister, J., & Mirvahedi, S. H. (2017). Family language policies in a multilingual world: Opportunities, challenges, and consequences. London: Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315619552.

Melo-Pfeifer, S. (2015). The role of the family in heritage language use and learning: impact on heritage language policies. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 18(1), 26–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2013.868400

Paat, Y. F. (2013). Working with immigrant children and their families: An application of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 23(8), 954–966. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2013.800007

Pavlenko, A. (2004). “Stop doing that, ia komu skazala!”: Language choice and emotions in parent-child communication. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 25(2–3), 179–203. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434630408666528

Rijal, S. (2023). Bahasa peradaban persebaran bahasa daerah nusantara di Kota Samarinda. In A. S. Idris (Ed.). Bantul: Ladang Kata.

Romanowski, P. (2022). Paternal agency in heritage language maintenance in Australia: Polish fathers in action. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 25(9), 3320–3332. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2022.2050994

Said, F., & Zhu, H. (2019). “No, no Maama! Say ‘Shaatir ya Ouledee Shaatir’!” Children’s agency in language use and socialisation. International Journal of Bilingualism, 23(3), 771–785. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367006916684919

Schwartz, M., & Verschik, A. (2013). Achieving successful family language policy: parents, children and educators in interaction. In M. Schwartz & A. Verschik (Eds.), Successful Family Language Policy (pp. 1–20). Springer. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7753-8_1

Smith-Christmas, C. (2014). Being socialised into language shift: the impact of extended family members on family language policy. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35(5), 511–526. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2014.882930

Smith-Christmas, C. (2017). Family Language Policy: Maintaining an Endangered Language in the Home. England: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137521811

Spolsky, B. (2012). Family language policy - The critical domain. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 33(1), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2011.638072

Tannenbaum, M. (2012). Family language policy as a form of coping or defence mechanism. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 33(1), 57–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2011.638074

Tannenbaum, M., & Howie, P. (2002). The association between language maintenance and family relations: Chinese immigrant children in Australia. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 23(5), 408–424. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434630208666477

Wenhan, X., Bee Chin, N., & Cavallaro, F. (2022). Living in harmony: The negotiation of intergenerational family language policy in Singapore. Language and Communication, 82, 8–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2021.11.004

Wright, L. (2020). Critical perspectives on language and kinship in multilingual families (1st ). London: Bloomsbury Academic.https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350088313

Zheng, Y., & Mei, Z. (2021). Two worlds in one city: A sociopolitical perspective on Chinese urban families’ language planning. Current Issues in Language Planning, 22(4), 383–407. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2020.1751491




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/gema-2024-2404-04

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


 

 

 

eISSN : 2550-2131

ISSN : 1675-8021