Minority Language Use among Grandchildren in Multigenerational Households

Abstract

This study attempts to answer the research question, Does living with grandparents influence minority language maintenance among grandchildren? The conventional three-generation model of language shift portrays a shift occurring from one generation to the next. However, this model overlooks the ties between nonconsecutive generations and implies that minority language loss occurs between parents and children and that grandparents are superfluous. Using the Census 2000 Supplementary Survey (C2SS), I examine the role of grandparents in minority language maintenance among their grandchildren. The findings of this study suggest that living with non-English-speaking grandparents influences grandchildren's minority language use in multigenerational households. In particular, the presence of non-English-speaking grandmothers has a stronger effect on grandchildren's minority language use than does the presence of grandfathers. This study contributes to ther understanding of the three-generation model of language shift, especially the role of grandparents in multigenerational households.