6. Multilingual family practices: An interactional study
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Luk Van Mensel
Abstract
Many voices in contemporary sociolinguistics profess an understanding of multilingualism as a set of (social) language practices that make up a speaker’s language repertoires, rather than as a combination of separate languages seen as bounded entities. Such an interpretation of multilingualism, however, is hard to maintain from a language policy point of view, which typically, perhaps all too easily, assumes a macro-perspective. So even if policy makers include words such as “variety” and “multilingualisation” in their discourse, in practice policies evolve around top-down categories such as Nederlandstalig (‘Dutch-speaking’) and Franstalig (‘French-speaking’), which tend to eschew (and erase) the complexity and fluidity of microlinguistic contexts. In multilingual Brussels (Belgium), for instance, these categorisations, as well as the category anderstalig (‘other-speaking’), and combinations of all three, are frequently used. In this Chapter, I will look into some of the language practices of parents from different (linguistic) backgrounds in Brussels. Spoken data were collected from two parent-pairs with children enrolled in Dutch-medium education in Brussels, specifically focusing on the interactions between two of these parents, in this case the fathers, and their respective children. The data consist of audio recordings made by these parents during some of their daily routines, e.g. taking the children to school or extracurricular activities, or picking them up. The findings illustrate how these parents deploy and activate their various linguistic resources in day-to-day interactions, pointing to a variety and complexity of multilingual practices that may be ill served by the top-down classifications of “named languages” commonly used.
Abstract
Many voices in contemporary sociolinguistics profess an understanding of multilingualism as a set of (social) language practices that make up a speaker’s language repertoires, rather than as a combination of separate languages seen as bounded entities. Such an interpretation of multilingualism, however, is hard to maintain from a language policy point of view, which typically, perhaps all too easily, assumes a macro-perspective. So even if policy makers include words such as “variety” and “multilingualisation” in their discourse, in practice policies evolve around top-down categories such as Nederlandstalig (‘Dutch-speaking’) and Franstalig (‘French-speaking’), which tend to eschew (and erase) the complexity and fluidity of microlinguistic contexts. In multilingual Brussels (Belgium), for instance, these categorisations, as well as the category anderstalig (‘other-speaking’), and combinations of all three, are frequently used. In this Chapter, I will look into some of the language practices of parents from different (linguistic) backgrounds in Brussels. Spoken data were collected from two parent-pairs with children enrolled in Dutch-medium education in Brussels, specifically focusing on the interactions between two of these parents, in this case the fathers, and their respective children. The data consist of audio recordings made by these parents during some of their daily routines, e.g. taking the children to school or extracurricular activities, or picking them up. The findings illustrate how these parents deploy and activate their various linguistic resources in day-to-day interactions, pointing to a variety and complexity of multilingual practices that may be ill served by the top-down classifications of “named languages” commonly used.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgements VII
- Contents IX
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1: Tensions between language policies and language practices
- 1. Language policies versus language practices: A new language conflict? 13
- 2. Multilingualism and immigration in the educational system: The case of Italian schools 37
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Part 2: Responses to multilingual challenges in the field of societal practices
- 3. Rescaling the problem of language difference: Some observations for policy and practice of language support in an era of globalisation 71
- 4. “Only dirty things!” Functions of mother tongue use in collaborative group work 91
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Part 3: Responses to multilingual challenges in the context of family policies and practices
- 5. Urban multilingualism and family language policy 121
- 6. Multilingual family practices: An interactional study 141
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Part 4: New ways of mapping multilingual proficiency
- 7. Sociopragmatic competence and second language acquisition: Learners of English in a study abroad context 167
- 8. The building of textual cohesion in the narrations of bilingual children: Implications for bilingualism and multilingual societies 191
- Conclusion 217
- Index 227
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgements VII
- Contents IX
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1: Tensions between language policies and language practices
- 1. Language policies versus language practices: A new language conflict? 13
- 2. Multilingualism and immigration in the educational system: The case of Italian schools 37
-
Part 2: Responses to multilingual challenges in the field of societal practices
- 3. Rescaling the problem of language difference: Some observations for policy and practice of language support in an era of globalisation 71
- 4. “Only dirty things!” Functions of mother tongue use in collaborative group work 91
-
Part 3: Responses to multilingual challenges in the context of family policies and practices
- 5. Urban multilingualism and family language policy 121
- 6. Multilingual family practices: An interactional study 141
-
Part 4: New ways of mapping multilingual proficiency
- 7. Sociopragmatic competence and second language acquisition: Learners of English in a study abroad context 167
- 8. The building of textual cohesion in the narrations of bilingual children: Implications for bilingualism and multilingual societies 191
- Conclusion 217
- Index 227
