Abstract
The migration of older people in search for improved quality of life has become an important form of human mobility, and popular retirement destinations are often highly multilingual settings. This article explores language use and social inclusion in international retirement migration through a case study of Scandinavian retirees in the Alicante province in Spain. It examines the linguistic landscape they meet, their language use and their inclusion in their new home country. Interviews with retired migrants and key local individuals show that many migrants try to learn the host country language, but that these attempts are often not very successful. As a result, they frequently use either their native language or English for everyday communication. This article elaborates on three theoretical and political notions of inclusion—assimilation, multiculturalism and civic integration—and discusses how retired migrants’ language use can be interpreted in the light of these notions.
Highlights
Over the past few decades, international retirement migration has emerged as a significant form of migration, as growing numbers of retirees from the Western world have moved in search of improved quality of life (King, Warnes, & Williams, 2000; Migration Policy Institute, 2006)
Serious linguistic problems were restricted to specific situations—mainly related to health problems, legal issues and emergencies—whereas retirees managed most of their day-to-day communication by using their native language, English, and/or not-so-good Spanish
International retirement migration has become an important form of human mobility and numerous retirees today experience an improved quality of life due to their migration
Summary
Over the past few decades, international retirement migration has emerged as a significant form of migration, as growing numbers of retirees from the Western world have moved in search of improved quality of life (King, Warnes, & Williams, 2000; Migration Policy Institute, 2006). International retirement migration has an important linguistic dimension, as retirees often move to destinations where their native language is not the official or commonly spoken language. This creates a multilingual situation that requires linguistic adaptation—by the retirees, by local authorities, or by other actors in the host society. This article draws on a case study of Scandinavian retirement migration to the Spanish province of Alicante. It puts the analytical focus on the local multilingual setting and its implications for social inclusion. A concluding section discusses the conditions for social inclusion in the context of retirement migration and the role of language
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