Reconstructing the experiences of child language brokering: a focus on the socio-emotional impact of the practice

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper will present the results of semi-structured interviews collected from a sample of eight migrant adolescents between the ages of 11 and 16 years about their perceptions and experiences as child language brokers in Italy. The practice that is defined as Child Language Brokering (CLB) by international literature refers to the interpreting and translation activities carried out by migrant children who is a broker for their peers or family members who do not speak the language of the host country fluently. The main aim of these interviews is to collect information about child language brokering as recalled and perceived by migrant adolescents who still perform this activity, with a focus on their feelings and benefits about the practice. The analysis will show both the predictors of positive feelings and the stressors related to CLB in Italy, an area in which the practice still needs to be deeply explored.