1887
Volume 14, Issue 1
  • ISSN 1571-0718
  • E-ISSN: 1571-0726
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Abstract

To determine how attitudes toward the minority language change with age, sixty-five Spanish/English bilingual children completed an attitude questionnaire. Results show that first graders have roughly equal attitudes to Spanish and English, while second, third, and fourth graders increasingly state a preference for English. However, among fifth graders, a decrease in this preference for English is found. Results from a matched guise task show that the Spanish and English versions are not rated significantly differently, suggesting that, while children prefer speaking English, they may not project negative attitudes onto Spanish-speakers themselves. Finally, a shift in language preference is found before a shift in language dominance, which may suggest that negative attitudes toward the heritage language lead to a dominance shift.

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2017-04-10
2024-10-08
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): Heritage Spanish; language attitudes; language maintenance
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