1 Positive attitudes are not enough: Minority language survival in the Canadian Prairies Jaya Nagpal & Elena Nicoladis University of Alberta.

11

Positive attitudes are not Positive attitudes are not enough: Minority language enough: Minority language

survival in the Canadian survival in the Canadian Prairies Prairies

Jaya Nagpal & Elena NicoladisJaya Nagpal & Elena Nicoladis

University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta

22

Why care about Minority Why care about Minority language survival?language survival?

• Visible expression of people’s ethnicityVisible expression of people’s ethnicity

• Parent-child relationships in immigrant Parent-child relationships in immigrant familiesfamilies

• Cognitive benefitsCognitive benefits

• Economic benefits Economic benefits

33

Canadian contextCanadian contextUnited States

Central and South America

Caribbean and Bermuda

  United Kingdom

  Other Northern and WesternEurope

  Eastern Europe

  Southern Europe

Africa

  West Central Asia and theMiddle East

  Eastern Asia

  Southeast Asia

  Southern Asia

Oceania and other countries

44

Multiculturalism within a Multiculturalism within a bilingual frameworkbilingual framework

• External services to people in both External services to people in both French and EnglishFrench and English

• Balanced participation of English-Balanced participation of English-speaking and French-speaking speaking and French-speaking people in public servicespeople in public services

• Freedom of choice in the language at Freedom of choice in the language at workwork

55

Attitudes towards Minority Attitudes towards Minority groups and Minority Languagesgroups and Minority Languages

• Acceptance of multiculturalism and Acceptance of multiculturalism and high tolerance for diverse cultural high tolerance for diverse cultural groups groups

• Parents in immigrant families hold Parents in immigrant families hold positive attitudes about Minority positive attitudes about Minority language retention. language retention.

66

Language shiftLanguage shift

• 11stst generation: Learn English but generation: Learn English but prefer to use ML at homeprefer to use ML at home

• 22ndnd generation: Bilinguals, more generation: Bilinguals, more fluent in English and prefer to speak fluent in English and prefer to speak English English

• 33rdrd generation: More fluent in English generation: More fluent in English and use English at home and use English at home

77

Factors that prevent language Factors that prevent language shiftshift

• Family and people in the close social Family and people in the close social networknetwork

• Media Media

• Motivation to learn a Minority Motivation to learn a Minority Langauge Langauge

• Community organizationsCommunity organizations

88

Context of this studyContext of this study

• Edmonton, Canada Edmonton, Canada

• French is the second most commonly French is the second most commonly spoken minority language: 7.7%spoken minority language: 7.7%

• South Asians: 1.9%South Asians: 1.9%

99

Resources for learning Resources for learning French French • Five elementary schools and 2 high Five elementary schools and 2 high

schools aimed at teaching native French schools aimed at teaching native French children children

• French immersion program in 15 French immersion program in 15 schoolsschools

• French language university programsFrench language university programs• One French day-care centerOne French day-care center• Several French day-homes Several French day-homes • Part-time preschool programs in FrenchPart-time preschool programs in French

1010

ParticipantsParticipants

• 34 French-speaking families 34 French-speaking families – Average age of children: 3.5 yearsAverage age of children: 3.5 years– Canadian citizensCanadian citizens– Same mother tongue for parents: 45.5%Same mother tongue for parents: 45.5%

• 31 South Asian immigrant families31 South Asian immigrant families– Average age of children 4.3 years Average age of children 4.3 years – Canadian citizens (62.3%), Immigrants (35.5%) Canadian citizens (62.3%), Immigrants (35.5%) – Same mother tongue for parents: 100%Same mother tongue for parents: 100%

1111

Research questionsResearch questions

• Attitudes towards maintaining the MLAttitudes towards maintaining the ML

• Language use at homeLanguage use at home

• Choice of language of media for childrenChoice of language of media for children

• Involvement in activities in the minority Involvement in activities in the minority language outside of home. language outside of home.

1212

Language FluencyLanguage Fluency

French ML English Both

Mothers 60.0 14.3 25.7

Fathers 36.4 51.5 22.1

SA

Mothers 77.4 0 22.6

Fathers 64.5 0 35.5

1313

Expectations for language Expectations for language useuse

• What language you want that your What language you want that your children should speak with their children should speak with their children?children?

• What language do you think that What language do you think that your children will speak with their your children will speak with their children? children?

• What language do you think your What language do you think your children will speak as adults? children will speak as adults?

1414

Expectations for language Expectations for language useuse

• What language you What language you wantwant that your that your children should speak with their children should speak with their children?children?

• What language do you What language do you thinkthink that that your children will speak with their your children will speak with their children? children?

• What language do you think your What language do you think your children will speak as adults? children will speak as adults?

1515

Expectations for Language Expectations for Language retention retention

• Parents in both groups wanted their Parents in both groups wanted their children to retain their MLchildren to retain their ML

• Parents in SA families were less Parents in SA families were less hopeful than their French hopeful than their French counterparts that they will be able to counterparts that they will be able to maintain their ML maintain their ML

1616

Expectations about language Expectations about language useuse

01020304050607080

Think Speakas

adults

French (expectations)

ML

English

Both0

1020304050607080

Think Speakas

adults

SA (Expectations)

ML

English

Both

1717

Language choice of parentsLanguage choice of parents

• In both groups parents prefer to talk In both groups parents prefer to talk to their children in their MLto their children in their ML

1818

Language choice of parentsLanguage choice of parents

0

20

40

60

80

100

French SA

Language used by parents when talking with each other

ML

English

Both

1919

Language choice of parentsLanguage choice of parents

• In both groups parents prefer to talk In both groups parents prefer to talk to their children in their MLto their children in their ML

• FrenchFrench– Most parents talk to each other in the Most parents talk to each other in the

ML ML

• SASA– Most parents talk to each other in the Most parents talk to each other in the

ML ML

2020

Language choice of children Language choice of children

• In both groups most children talk to In both groups most children talk to their parents in the ML their parents in the ML

• More children in SA families use More children in SA families use English when talking to their parents English when talking to their parents

2121

Language choice of childrenLanguage choice of children

01020304050607080

French SA

Language used with siblings

ML

English

Both

2222

Language choice of children Language choice of children

• In both groups most children talk to In both groups most children talk to their parents in the ML their parents in the ML

• More children in SA families use More children in SA families use English when talking to their parents English when talking to their parents

• In French children talk to their In French children talk to their siblings in ML but in SA families siblings in ML but in SA families children talk to their siblings in children talk to their siblings in English English

2323

Language of media for Language of media for childrenchildren

010203040

50607080

TV Rhymes

French

ML

English

Both

010203040

50607080

TV Rhymes

SA

ML

English

Both

2424

ResultsResults

• Both groups had positive attitudes Both groups had positive attitudes about ML survival about ML survival

• South Asians are less hopeful of South Asians are less hopeful of retaining their ML retaining their ML – Perceived utility of a languagePerceived utility of a language– Support for a language in the outside Support for a language in the outside

communitycommunity– Experience Experience

2525

Results Cont.. Results Cont..

• In SA families parents switch to In SA families parents switch to English while talking to their childrenEnglish while talking to their children

• Children show a preference for Children show a preference for English in SA families English in SA families

• More exposure to ML media in French More exposure to ML media in French than in SA families than in SA families

• More exposure to ML activities in More exposure to ML activities in French families French families

2626

Suggestions for retaining MLSuggestions for retaining ML

• Motivating parents to make efforts to Motivating parents to make efforts to retain the ML retain the ML

• Providing media in ML Providing media in ML • School boards can contract a person School boards can contract a person

or agency for ML education as per the or agency for ML education as per the community needscommunity needs

• Setting up day-cares and day-homes Setting up day-cares and day-homes in MLin ML

• Informal organizations for promotion Informal organizations for promotion of ML of ML

2727

Expectations about language Expectations about language useuse

01020304050607080

Want Adults

French

ML

English

Both

01020304050607080

Want Adults

Soth Asian

ML

English

Both

2828

Choice of language of Choice of language of parentsparents

0

20

40

60

80

100

Mother Parents

French

ML

English

Both

0

20

40

60

80

100

Mother Parents

South Asian

ML

English

Both

2929

Choice of language of Choice of language of childrenchildren

01020304050607080

Mothers Siblings

French

ML

English

Both

01020304050607080

Mothers Siblings

South Asian

ML

English

Both