International Journal of Bilingual
Education and Bilingualism
Editor: Colin Baker, University of Wales, Bangor
Review Editor: Aneta Pavlenko, Temple University, Philadelpia
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Volume: 4 Number: 3 Page: 197–216
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The Cross-Marriage Language Dilemma: His Language or Hers?
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Vivian De Klerk
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The issue of language maintenance and shift has long been a matter of interest in linguistic research (Denison, 1977; Gal, 1979; Dorian, 1980; Fasold, 1984; Aitchison, 1991) and considerable progress has
been made in trying to isolate the factors which affect such trends in usage at a macro level, in large linguistic communities. This article reports on language shift on a micro level, in a study carried
out on 10 cross-language English/Afrikaans marriages. The study explores the language dynamics, attitudes and usage patterns within these families, as well as reporting on the relative levels of success
in achieving family bilingualism. It also provides an overview of factors influencing language usage in these homes, and offers a view on possible long-term linguistic outcomes for these families.
© Multilingual Matters 2001
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