PARENTAL ATTITUDES TOWARD MANDARIN MAINTENANCE IN ARIZONA: AN EXAMINATION OF IMMIGRANTS FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Abstract

This study focuses on a specific Chinese immigrant subgroup, immigrants from the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Arizona, and details the impact of different immigrant experiences and settlement patterns on parents' attitudes toward Mandarin maintenance. Data were collected through an eight-month-long ethnographic research in Arizona. The findings suggest that despite their misconceptions of bilingualism, these parents generally have positive attitudes or “language loyalty” toward Mandarin. Differences exist among parents depending on how they integrate into American social and economic context and their future orientations are defined. Participants generally do not see themselves as having a role in promoting Mandarin in public schools, indicating that though the ethnolinguistic vitality (EV) of Chinese immigrants is on the rise, the EV of this studied subgroup is significantly compromised by its weaker demographic capital. The study further discusses what educators and policy makers can learn from these parents' attitudes.