Translanguaging in the Family Context: Evidence from Cyprus, Sweden and Estonia
The aim of this paper is to highlight translanguaging practices in the home among bilingual/multilingual Russian-speaking children and their parents in Cyprus, Sweden and Estonia. Multilingual families are the focus of our research: 50 in Cyprus, 20 in Estonia and 50 in Sweden. Using parental writte...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Russian journal of linguistics: Vestnik RUDN |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journals.rudn.ru/linguistics/article/viewFile/21769/17231 |
| _version_ | 1818849881200001024 |
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| author | Sviatlana Karpava Natalia Ringblom Anastassia Zabrodskaja |
| author_facet | Sviatlana Karpava Natalia Ringblom Anastassia Zabrodskaja |
| author_sort | Sviatlana Karpava |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of this paper is to highlight translanguaging practices in the home among bilingual/multilingual Russian-speaking children and their parents in Cyprus, Sweden and Estonia. Multilingual families are the focus of our research: 50 in Cyprus, 20 in Estonia and 50 in Sweden. Using parental written question- naires with the focus on general background, socio-economic status and language proficiency, as well as oral semi-structured interviews and ethnographic participant observation, our study attempts to describe how family language policy is managed through translanguaging and literacy activities in multilingual Russian-speaking families in three different cultural and linguistic environments. Our results show both differences and similarities among Russian-speakers in the three countries, not only in their family language practices, but also in their attitudes towards the fluidity of language, language repertoires, translanguaging and Russian-language literacy. Russian-speakers incorporate a wide range of language repertoires in their everyday lives. Sometimes, such language contacts generate power struggles and the language ideological dimension becomes a key terrain to explore how speakers feel about the need to effectively attain a degree of multilingualism. Multilingualism and the maintenance of the Russian language and culture are usually encouraged, and parents often choose the one-parent-one-language approach at home. However, not all families make conscious choices regarding specific language management and may have “laissez-faire” attitudes to the use of languages in the family. We show how family language use and child-directed translanguaging can support, expand and enhance dynamic bilingualism/multilingualism, and reinforce and integrate minority language in a wider context: societal and educational. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T06:40:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a7bb6f6e1be4b7cb073809cd36b0767 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2312-9182 2312-9212 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T06:40:17Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Russian journal of linguistics: Vestnik RUDN |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a7bb6f6e1be4b7cb073809cd36b07672022-12-21T20:32:07ZengPeoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)Russian journal of linguistics: Vestnik RUDN2312-91822312-92122019-12-0123361964110.22363/2312-9182-2019-23-3-619-64117903Translanguaging in the Family Context: Evidence from Cyprus, Sweden and EstoniaSviatlana Karpava0Natalia Ringblom1Anastassia Zabrodskaja2University of CyprusStockholm University Dalarna UniversityTallinn University University of TartuThe aim of this paper is to highlight translanguaging practices in the home among bilingual/multilingual Russian-speaking children and their parents in Cyprus, Sweden and Estonia. Multilingual families are the focus of our research: 50 in Cyprus, 20 in Estonia and 50 in Sweden. Using parental written question- naires with the focus on general background, socio-economic status and language proficiency, as well as oral semi-structured interviews and ethnographic participant observation, our study attempts to describe how family language policy is managed through translanguaging and literacy activities in multilingual Russian-speaking families in three different cultural and linguistic environments. Our results show both differences and similarities among Russian-speakers in the three countries, not only in their family language practices, but also in their attitudes towards the fluidity of language, language repertoires, translanguaging and Russian-language literacy. Russian-speakers incorporate a wide range of language repertoires in their everyday lives. Sometimes, such language contacts generate power struggles and the language ideological dimension becomes a key terrain to explore how speakers feel about the need to effectively attain a degree of multilingualism. Multilingualism and the maintenance of the Russian language and culture are usually encouraged, and parents often choose the one-parent-one-language approach at home. However, not all families make conscious choices regarding specific language management and may have “laissez-faire” attitudes to the use of languages in the family. We show how family language use and child-directed translanguaging can support, expand and enhance dynamic bilingualism/multilingualism, and reinforce and integrate minority language in a wider context: societal and educational.http://journals.rudn.ru/linguistics/article/viewFile/21769/17231code-switchingbilingualismmultilingualismminority languageRussian |
| spellingShingle | Sviatlana Karpava Natalia Ringblom Anastassia Zabrodskaja Translanguaging in the Family Context: Evidence from Cyprus, Sweden and Estonia Russian journal of linguistics: Vestnik RUDN code-switching bilingualism multilingualism minority language Russian |
| title | Translanguaging in the Family Context: Evidence from Cyprus, Sweden and Estonia |
| title_full | Translanguaging in the Family Context: Evidence from Cyprus, Sweden and Estonia |
| title_fullStr | Translanguaging in the Family Context: Evidence from Cyprus, Sweden and Estonia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Translanguaging in the Family Context: Evidence from Cyprus, Sweden and Estonia |
| title_short | Translanguaging in the Family Context: Evidence from Cyprus, Sweden and Estonia |
| title_sort | translanguaging in the family context evidence from cyprus sweden and estonia |
| topic | code-switching bilingualism multilingualism minority language Russian |
| url | http://journals.rudn.ru/linguistics/article/viewFile/21769/17231 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sviatlanakarpava translanguaginginthefamilycontextevidencefromcyprusswedenandestonia AT nataliaringblom translanguaginginthefamilycontextevidencefromcyprusswedenandestonia AT anastassiazabrodskaja translanguaginginthefamilycontextevidencefromcyprusswedenandestonia |