The paper will analyze the family language policy of Lithuanian emigrant families. The research is based on quantitative (online survey sample N=2026) and qualitative (more than 300 interviews) data, gathered during two large-scale projects on Lithuanian diaspora from various continents. The theoretical standpoint follows Spolsky's language policy model, according to which language policy consists of three interrelated components: language practices, language beliefs or ideology, and language management. The focus of this paper is language management which is understood as an effort by someone to modify language practices or beliefs in a family domain. A model developed by Curdt-Christiansen, illustrating the complex interplay of the family language policy and its socio, cultural, political, linguistic environment will also be applied for the analysis. The paper will deal with internal (emotions, identity, parental impact beliefs) and external (language status, socio-economic and socio-political realities) factors influencing family language policy.
The Lithuanian diaspora in various continents (Europe, North and South America, and Australia) consists of emigrants of different emigration waves. The first wave were those who emigrated in the end of 19th century from Lithuania that was under the Russian tzarist rule and later, after the WWI, from the independent Republic of Lithuania. This wave of emigration was mainly for economic reasons and consisted of people from rural areas with little or no education. The second wave of emigration consists of highly educated, mostly cultural, political and economical elite part of the Lithuanian society who flew the country at the end of WWII in fear of Soviet repressions. This wave is considered as political emigration. The third wave includes people who left for the West after the Restauration of Independence in 1990. This wave of emigration is generally of economic character.
Family language policy and home language maintenance in the families of these various emigration waves is rather different. The paper will analyze language management strategies and internal and external factors influencing family language policy as well as compare the families of different emigration waves. The role of different family members, both parents and children, will also be taken into account. The analysis will consider the language policy of different generations of emigration: those who emigrated themselves, those who emigrated as children by the decision of the parents and those born later in the host country (second and third generation emigrants). The results show that the reason for emigration has a great impact on the language policy. The language policy and home language maintenance in the families of political emigrants is more influenced by the internal factors whereas in those of economical emigrants, the external factors seem to play a more important role.
Curdt-Christiansen X. L. 2018. Family language policy. In J. Tollefson and M. Perez-Milans (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Language Policy and Planning. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Spolsky B. 2004. Language policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Sposkly B. 2009. Language management. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
