“Enculturalling” Multilingualism: Family language ecology and its impact on multilingualism

IF 16.4 1区化学 Q1 CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Accounts of Chemical Research Pub Date : 2021-04-03 DOI:10.1080/19313152.2020.1846833

Francesco Cavallaro, Tay Ya Xin Elsie, Francis Wong, Bee Chin Ng

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引用次数: 3

Abstract

ABSTRACT Though the two languages most frequently used in the homes of Chinese Singaporeans are English and Mandarin Chinese, there is not much information on how the home language can influence language use and attitudes toward these two languages. This study investigates the family language ecology in bilingual homes and aims to compare attitudes toward Mandarin Chinese between Chinese Singaporean young adults from English-speaking homes (ESH) and those from Chinese-speaking homes (CSH). A total of 118 participants took part in a questionnaire designed to elicit language use and attitudes toward Mandarin. Results reveal that participants from Chinese-speaking homes do show greater use and proficiency in Mandarin, as well as possess more positive attitudes and motivation toward Mandarin as compared to participants from English-speaking homes. Both group report using more English with their siblings than their parents. However, the CSH group reports using more Mandarin than English with their siblings and more so with their younger siblings. This study emphasizes the process of “enculturation” to be an essential feature of language maintenance and as the home is the main site for enculturation to take place this study has implications for language maintenance for minority languages.

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“包容”多语：家庭语言生态及其对多语的影响

摘要尽管新加坡华人家庭中最常用的两种语言是英语和普通话，但关于母语如何影响语言使用和对这两种语言的态度，目前还没有太多信息。本研究调查了双语家庭的家庭语言生态，旨在比较来自英语家庭（ESH）和来自汉语家庭（CSH）的新加坡华裔年轻人对普通话的态度。共有118名参与者参加了一项问卷调查，旨在了解语言使用和对普通话的态度。研究结果表明，与英语家庭的参与者相比，来自汉语家庭的参与者确实表现出更高的普通话使用率和熟练程度，并且对普通话有更积极的态度和动机。两组人都报告说，他们的兄弟姐妹比他们的父母使用更多的英语。然而，CSH小组报告称，他们对兄弟姐妹使用的普通话多于英语，对弟弟妹妹使用的普通话也更多。本研究强调“融入文化”过程是语言维护的一个基本特征，由于家庭是进行融入文化的主要场所，本研究对少数民族语言的语言维护具有启示意义。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Accounts of Chemical Research 化学-化学综合

CiteScore

31.40

自引率

1.10%

发文量

312

审稿时长

2 months

期刊介绍： Accounts of Chemical Research presents short, concise and critical articles offering easy-to-read overviews of basic research and applications in all areas of chemistry and biochemistry. These short reviews focus on research from the author’s own laboratory and are designed to teach the reader about a research project. In addition, Accounts of Chemical Research publishes commentaries that give an informed opinion on a current research problem. Special Issues online are devoted to a single topic of unusual activity and significance. Accounts of Chemical Research replaces the traditional article abstract with an article "Conspectus." These entries synopsize the research affording the reader a closer look at the content and significance of an article. Through this provision of a more detailed description of the article contents, the Conspectus enhances the article's discoverability by search engines and the exposure for the research.