Negotiating for Meaning Along “Language Borders”: Refugee Families from Burma/Myanmar in a US Public School District

Abstract

ABSTRACT How do Burmese refugee families navigate the linguistic and cultural landscapes of US school systems? How do school personnel respond (or not) to these families’ words and needs? The data in this ethnographic study led me to answer these questions by developing a grounded theory of a “language border” (as opposed to “barrier”), along which these families and school personnel negotiate for meaning around education. As a Burmese-language interpreter and participant-observer in family-school interactions, I describe four “landmarks,” or locations of cultural friction, on this “language border”: English and Burmese terms that are dictionary equivalents but carry different implications. The friction between these terms illustrates conflicting and evolving perceptions about schooling, as well as opportunities for new possibilities to emerge. My findings of this “language border” are significant for school personnel serving Burmese refugee families, and reflect issues that other refugee and immigrant groups may encounter in schools.