Sociodemographic determinants of language transitions among the children of French and Spanish-Caribbean immigrants in the US

摘要

In this study, language transitions among the children of Caribbean immigrants in the US are examined from two main perspectives. First, speeds of language transitions among children in French and Spanish-Caribbean immigrant families are compared. Second, the mediating roles of sociodemographic factors and sibling characteristics in language transitions are also examined. The results reveal that with increasing assimilation, children in French-Caribbean families experience a faster transition to English monolingualism than their counterparts with Spanish-Caribbean parents. Transitions to English monolingualism are also negatively associated with the number of first generation siblings within households. However, increases in the number of second and first generation English-monolingual siblings, significantly shift children’s language use towards complete Anglicization. Instructively, this impact offsets the influence ethnically-endogamous parents have on the retention of mother tongues within immigrant families.