EXPLORING IMMIGRANT CHILDREN’S COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS WITH THEIR GRANDMOTHERS DUE TO LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL LOSS

Year 2021, Issue: 60, 537 - 559, 12.11.2021

Özge Özel

https://doi.org/10.21764/maeuefd.896838

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the communication issues that monolingual English-speaking Mexican American children face to communicate with their monolingual Spanish-speaking Mexican grandmothers due to language and cultural loss. This study depicts 20 first-generation monolingual Spanish-speaking Mexican grandmothers’ perceptions and reflections of language and cultural loss for their third-generation monolingual English-speaking grandchildren. Interview questions focused on grandmothers’ attitudes, beliefs, and thoughts related to language and cultural loss and the implications of such on the intergenerational relationship. Results indicate grandmothers are concerned about their relationships which are inevitably affected by the language barrier and have caused cultural and language loss throughout generations with their grandchildren.

Keywords

language loss, cultural loss, immigrant children, communication problems

GÖÇMEN ÇOCUKLARIN DİL VE KÜLTÜR KAYBI NEDENİYLE BÜYÜKANNELERİ İLE YAŞADIKLARI İLETİŞİM SORUNLARININ İNCELENMESİ

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı, sadece İngilizce konuşan Amerika’da doğmuş Meksikalı çocukların, sadece İspanyolca konuşan Meksikalı büyükanneleriyle dil ve kültür kaybından dolayı oluşan iletişim sorunlarını incelemektir. Bu araştırma nitel bir çalışma olarak düzenlenmiş olup, 20 tane birinci nesil sadece İspanyolca konuşan Meksikalı büyükannelerin üçüncü nesil sadece İngilizce konuşan torunlarının dil ve kültür kaybına ilişkin algılarını ve yansımalarını tasvir ediyor. Görüşme soruları yarı yapılandırılmış olarak hazırlanmış olup, büyükannelerin dil ve kültürel kayıpla ilgili tutum, inanç ve düşüncelerine ve bunların kuşaklar arası büyükanne ve torun ilişkileri üzerindeki etkilerine odaklanmıştır. Tümevarım yöntemi ile analiz edilen veriler önemli bilgi kaybını engellemek adına İspanyolca toplanmış olup sonrasında İngilizceye çevrilmiştir. Analiz sürecindeki kodlama şemasında CLL (kültürel kayıp: dil), CLC (kültürel kayıp: kutlamalar), CLV (kültürel kayıp: değerler), RLL (ilişkiler: dil bariyeri) ve RLP (ilişkiler: aile tutumunun rolü) kodları kullanılmıştır. Sonuçlar, büyükannelerin torunlarıyla dil bariyeri nedeniyle kaçınılmaz bir şekilde etkilenen ve nesiller boyunca kültür ve dil kaybına neden olan ilişkilerinden endişe duyduklarını göstermektedir.

Keywords

dil kaybı, kültür kaybı, göçmen çocuklar, iletişim problemleri

References

• Barnett, M. A., Mills‐Koonce, W. R., Gustafsson, H., & Cox, M. (2012). Mother‐Grandmother Conflict, Negative Parenting, and Young Children's Social Development in Multigenerational Families. Family Relations, 61(5), 864-877. Pew Research Center 2010
• Barnett, M. A., Scaramella, L. V., Neppl, T. K., Ontai, L., & Conger, R. D. (2010). Intergenerational relationship quality, gender, and grandparent involvement. Family Relations, 59(1), 28-44.
• Brinkmann, S. (2013). Qualitative interviewing. Oxford university press.
• Boehner, John. “‘No Child Left Behind’ Transforms Bilingual Education Programs, Empowers Hispanic Parents to Ensure LEP Children Learn English.” News from the Committee on Education and the Workforce (Oct 2002). 26 Nov. 2006
• Boroditsky, L. (2009). How does our language shape the way we think. What’s next, 116-129.
• Bulcroft, R. A., Carmody, D. C., & Bulcroft, K. A. (1996). Patterns of parental independence giving to adolescents: Variations by race, age, and gender of child. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 866-883.
• Creswell, J. W. (1994). Research design: Sage publications Thousand Oaks, CA.
• Cummins, J. (1979). Linguistic interdependence and the educational development of bilingual children. Review of Educational Research, 49, 222-251.
• Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005). Introduction: The discipline and practice of qualitative research.
• Dettlaff, A., & Rycraft, J. (2006). The impact of migration and acculturation on Latino children and families: Implications for child welfare practice. Protecting Children, 21(2), 6-21.
• Dunifon, R., & Bajracharya, A. (2012). The role of grandparents in the lives of youth. Journal of Family Issues, 33(9), 1168-1194.
• Federal Office for Immigration (2011), http://www.bfm.admin.ch/content/bfm/en/home/themen/migration_analysen/weltweite_migration/migrationsgruende.html
• Fillmore, L. W. (1991). Language and cultural issues in the early education of language minority children. The care and education of America’s young children: Obstacles and opportunities, 1, 30-49.
• Fillmore, L. W. (2000). Loss of family languages: Should educators be concerned?. Theory into practice, 39(4), 203-210.
• Genesee, F. (2000). Bilingual first language acquisition: Exploring the limits of the language faculty. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 21, 153–168.
• Glossary Terms (2009). Retrieved from http://anthro.palomar.edu/change/glossary.htm
• Goodman, C. C. (2007). Intergenerational triads in skipped-generation grandfamilies. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 65(3), 231-258.
• Goodman, C. C., Potts, M. K., & Pasztor, E. M. (2007). Caregiving grandmothers with vs. without child welfare system involvement: Effects of expressed need, formal services, and informal social support on caregiver burden. Children and Youth Services Review, 29(4), 428-441.
• Guardado, M. (2006). Engaging language and cultural spaces: Latin American parents’ reflections on language loss and maintenance in Vancouver. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 9(1), 51-72.
• Mertler, C. (2012). Action research: Improving schools and empowering students. (3 ed., pp. 1-299). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publishing, lnc.
• Minuchin, P. (1985). Families and individual development: Provocations from the field of family therapy. Child Development, 289-302. Denzin and Lincoln (2005),
• Montrul, S. (2002). Incomplete acquisition and attrition of Spanish tense/ aspect distinctions in adult bilinguals, 1, 39-68.
• Morrow, M., P. (1999). How to choose a sample size in qualitative research. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_6076933_choose-sample-size-qualitative-research.html
• Mueller, M. M., & Elder Jr, G. H. (2003). Family contingencies across the generations: grandparent‐grandchild relationships in holistic perspective. Journal of Marriage and Family, 65(2), 404-417.
• Neumann, C. et al. (2009). Effects on L1 during early acquisition of L2: Speech changes in Spanish at first English contact, 2, 259-272.
• Offical website of the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration Statics, (2011).
• Office of Immigration Statics (2011). Retrieved from http://www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics
• Rehman, K. (2012). Mind, language & culture. Dialogue, 7 (1), 1-14.
• Revised Texas Prekindegarten Guideline, the Commissioner of Education, (21 May 2008). Rodriguez-Galindo, Alejandra, and Jo Worthy (2007) “Mi hija vale dos personas: Latino Immigrant
• Ruiz, E. (2005). Hispanic culture and relational cultural theory. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 1(1), 33-55.
• Shorris, Earl. Latinos: A Biography of the People. New York: Norton, 2001.
• Suina, J. H. (2004). Native language teachers in a struggle for language and cultural survival. Anthropology & education quarterly, 35(3), 281-302.
• U.S. Census Bureau (2010). Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/#
• UNESCO (2009). http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/pdf/uiestud41.pdf
• Vygotsky, L. S. (1962). Language and thought. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, Ontario, Canada.
• Winsler, A., Díaz, R. M., Espinosa, L., & Rodriguez, J. L. (1999). When learning a second language does not mean losing the first: Bilingual language development in low‐income, Spanish‐speaking children attending bilingual preschool. Child development, 70(2), 349-362.
• Winsler, A., Díaz, R. M., Espinosa, L., & Rodriguez, J. L. (1999). When Learning a Second Language Does Not Mean Losing the First: Bilingual Language Development in Low‐Income, Spanish-Speaking Children Attending. Child Development, 70(2), 349-362.