4.3 Article

In this country my children are learning two of the most important languages in Europe': ideologies of language as a commodity among Greek migrant families in Luxembourg

Journal

Publisher

ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2016.1181602

Keywords

Language ideologies; Greek migrants; Luxembourg

Funding

  1. Fonds Nationales de la Recherche Luxembourg [6791471]

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This paper explores the language ideologies of three middle-class migrant Greek families in Luxembourg, one established' family and two new' crisis-led migrant families, all of whose children attend Luxembourgish state schools. While the families differ in terms of migration trajectory, their language ideologies converge. The findings of this ethnographic study show that all parents view multilingualism as an asset and relate it to culture, identity and job opportunities. The parents' ideologies are shaped both by their desire to improve their social standing and by societal discourses on the values of languages in the job market and in the Higher Education. Luxembourg's official trilingualism is seen as a symbol of national cohesion and it is viewed as a commodity on the job market. Thus, the development of children's multilingualism in French, German and English is seen as a commodity' which, they hope, will enable children to compete in the new globalised, transnational and post-industrial/services market.

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