Family Language Policy: Issues of Practice, Ideology and Management

Abstract

Inspired by a range of earlier approaches to language maintenance, this article positions itself against the broad background of the general field of language policy. It examines through the lens of family language policy the interplay between different factors affecting families’ intergenerational language transmission. It argues that family language policies are important as they significantly contribute to the maintenance of minority languages. Moreover, this paper reviews research on the role of language ideologies, practices and management in shaping family language policies, which in turn connect in significant ways with children’s developmental trajectories and also determine future status of minority languages.