Language choices between partners in bilingual relationships
The paper focuses on the language choices among a sample of bilingual heterosexual couples in the less studied Polish context. Drawing on 24 in-depth interviews I examine the reasons for language choices in the couple, with the most engaging arguments being when the minority language is chosen. I...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2021
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/18525/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/18525/1/48731-172401-2-PB.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848814597455216640 |
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| author | Stępkowska, Agnieszka |
| author_facet | Stępkowska, Agnieszka |
| author_sort | Stępkowska, Agnieszka |
| building | UKM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The paper focuses on the language choices among a sample of bilingual heterosexual couples
in the less studied Polish context. Drawing on 24 in-depth interviews I examine the reasons for
language choices in the couple, with the most engaging arguments being when the minority
language is chosen. In the results section, I give the voice to the couples by inserting extracts
from the interviews, illustrating the dyadic communication between the partners. The analysis
is grounded in the sociolinguistic perspective bringing together linguistic and cultural aspects.
Through these themes, I come to a more detailed account of communication scenarios
conditioned by the L2 command of either of the partners. I report on the couples’ language
repertoires and the languages of their first contact that result from the individual trajectories of
their L2 acquisition and impinge on the agreed language choices. My data suggest that bilingual
couples do not, as it might otherwise be expected, always end up using the language of the
surrounding society. The findings reveal a relative stability of linguistic choices, but also some
deviations from once adopted communication patterns. The paper shows that language choice
and proficiency are closely connected, but also that other factors come into play. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T00:36:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | oai:generic.eprints.org:18525 |
| institution | Universiti Kebangasaan Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T00:36:37Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | oai:generic.eprints.org:185252022-04-26T08:14:04Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/18525/ Language choices between partners in bilingual relationships Stępkowska, Agnieszka The paper focuses on the language choices among a sample of bilingual heterosexual couples in the less studied Polish context. Drawing on 24 in-depth interviews I examine the reasons for language choices in the couple, with the most engaging arguments being when the minority language is chosen. In the results section, I give the voice to the couples by inserting extracts from the interviews, illustrating the dyadic communication between the partners. The analysis is grounded in the sociolinguistic perspective bringing together linguistic and cultural aspects. Through these themes, I come to a more detailed account of communication scenarios conditioned by the L2 command of either of the partners. I report on the couples’ language repertoires and the languages of their first contact that result from the individual trajectories of their L2 acquisition and impinge on the agreed language choices. My data suggest that bilingual couples do not, as it might otherwise be expected, always end up using the language of the surrounding society. The findings reveal a relative stability of linguistic choices, but also some deviations from once adopted communication patterns. The paper shows that language choice and proficiency are closely connected, but also that other factors come into play. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2021-11 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/18525/1/48731-172401-2-PB.pdf Stępkowska, Agnieszka (2021) Language choices between partners in bilingual relationships. GEMA ; Online Journal of Language Studies, 21 (4). pp. 110-124. ISSN 1675-8021 https://ejournal.ukm.my/gema/issue/view/1440 |
| spellingShingle | Stępkowska, Agnieszka Language choices between partners in bilingual relationships |
| title | Language choices between partners in bilingual relationships |
| title_full | Language choices between partners in bilingual relationships |
| title_fullStr | Language choices between partners in bilingual relationships |
| title_full_unstemmed | Language choices between partners in bilingual relationships |
| title_short | Language choices between partners in bilingual relationships |
| title_sort | language choices between partners in bilingual relationships |
| url | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/18525/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/18525/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/18525/1/48731-172401-2-PB.pdf |