Multilingual Families Based in Poland: An Investigation into Family Language Policies

Ilona Banasiak, Magdalena Olpińska-Szkiełko

Abstract


This article explores family language policies among mixed couples in Poland, focusing on how family members perceive and manage their languages. Using Spolsky’s FLP Model, the authors analysed 79 language biographies from multilingual speakers based on in-depth narrative interviews conducted between 2014 and 2021. The findings revealed that although families expressed explicit language ideologies and strategies, these often did not align with their actual language practices. The analysis also indicated that the affective and social aspects of multilingualism, such as the language status resulting from the political, social, and historical situation, were crucial factors influencing family language policies.


Keywords


multilingual family; Family Language Policy; language ideology; language management; language practices; heritage language

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/lsmll.2024.48.4.29-46
Date of publication: 2024-12-19 12:32:51
Date of submission: 2024-10-01 19:48:54


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