LINGUIST List 19.1481
Mon May 05 2008
Diss: Lang Acq: Lambert: 'Issues in Family Language Planning and Tr...'
Editor for this issue: Evelyn Richter
<evelynlinguistlist.org>
1. Brigitte
Lambert,
Issues in Family Language Planning and Transmission
Message 1: Issues in Family Language Planning and Transmission
Date: 05-May-2008
From: Brigitte Lambert <belambertoptushome.com.au>
Subject: Issues in Family Language Planning and Transmission
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Institution: University of Melbourne
Program: Department of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2006
Author: Brigitte Elisabeth Lambert
Dissertation Title: Issues in Family Language Planning and Transmission
Linguistic Field(s):
Language Acquisition
Subject Language(s): German, Standard (deu)
Dissertation Director:
Michael Clyne
Dissertation Abstract:
This study is concerned with intergenerational language transmission. Ithighlights the role of parents as managers of the family's linguisticresources and explores the social influences and subjective sensitivitiesthat lead to their respective transmission decisions. The example languageis German, precisely because successive census analyses in Australia havecharted a marked decline in the numbers of German speakers in this country,indicating that motivation for the transmission of German has waned. Ofparticular interest, therefore, are the situations in which it is presentlybeing transmitted.
The study is based on recorded interviews detailing the transmissionhistory of twenty families in which German is, was, or could have been thetargeted transmission language. In the course of the data analysis, a modelwas developed, depicting the decision process in relation to the planningand implementation stages of the transmission undertaking. This frameworkalso served to link the social, linguistic and attitudinal factorsoperating in the parents' life experience to the transmission method andlinguistic outcomes for the children.
The findings show firstly that the transmission decision is negotiatedaround the needs, interests and desires of the parents. Secondly, thedecisions and the transmission process are prompted and sustained byextrinsic and intrinsic orientations, covering child-focussed, mutuallyoriented and parent-centred motives. Within these interest areas, theadvantages of bilingualism, family connectedness and the maintenance ofpersonal identity are of central importance. Furthermore, the transmissionmethod reflects the parents' expectations relative to their expresstransmission motives, which determine the quality of input and, in turn,the quality of transmission outcomes. In this regard, the parents'linguistic experiences, educational background and the extent ofpreparation for the transmission task emerge as prominent factors.
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