Language Maintenance/Shift of a Three-Generation Italian Family in Three Migration Countries: an International Comparative Study

Finocchiaro, Dr Carla M. (2004) Language Maintenance/Shift of a Three-Generation Italian Family in Three Migration Countries: an International Comparative Study. PhD thesis, Department of Linguistic and Applied Linguistics, The University of Melbourne.

Abstract

Abstract

This thesis is a comparative investigation into the use of Italian of an extended Italian family in language contact situation in three countries: the United States, Australia and France. This study is undertaken and described in the context of the different policies on migrant integration and minority languages in the three migration countries.

The investigation uses the ‘Case Study’ methodology in the format of an embedded multiple case-study project.

The third generation was made the focus of the study to investigate Fishman’s “intergroup social dependency” theory. According to this theory, when the immigrant experience is viewed from a perspective of three or more generation time depth, the immigrant group generally loses its language due to its dependency on the host society for its survival. Fishman contends that only an effective and strict ‘compartmentalisation of language functions’ between the minority language and the host language can help the minority group maintain its language.

The findings indicate that for people of Italian background living as a minority group in language contact situation compartmentalisation is not a viable alternative. Nor do they consider the ‘maintenance’ of their community language important. When in the migration country bilingualism is valued, it is the standard variety of the heritage language that is chosen for maintenance and further learning.

The study presents recommendations towards the achievability of bilingualism beyond the limitations of compartmentalisation.