Transcultural and familial factors in bilingualism and language transmission: A qualitative study of maternal representations of French-Maghrebi Arabic bilingual children.

This qualitative exploratory study examined transcultural and familial factors involved in bilingualism and minority language transmission among French and Arabic-speaking children. Participants included 30 children aged 4 to 6 years, born in France, and their bilingual French-Maghrebi Arabic-speaking parents. Children's bilingual language profiles were assessed with the ELAL Scale for Maghrebi Arabic (minority language) and the Neel Scale for French (majority language). Mothers participated in qualitative interviews about cultural and language practices and representations. Interview contents were compared with the children's language profiles. Results indicated that parents closely associated the transmission of the Arabic language with their cultural heritage transmission. The parents of fluent bilinguals had a strong desire to transmit the minority language. Mothers of minority language dominant bilingual children reported little perception of change in their lives since migration. Half of the mothers of majority language dominant bilingual children reported relationship or emotional difficulties with their children. Four minority language transmission types were identified: direct parent-child transmission; indirect transmission through private classes; indirect transmission through visits to family in the parents' native countries; and alternative transmission by another family member. Direct parent-child transmission was most frequent among the fluent bilinguals. Families' processes of hybridity were related to language transmission and bilingual development of children. Parental cultural affiliations to native country were related to minority language transmission. Perception of change since migration and affiliation to host country may also play a role in harmonious bilingual development. Moreover, the quality of family relationships can affect minority language transmission.

Evaluar y diagnosticar las patologías del lenguaje en un contexto bilingüe / Evaluate and diagnose language pathologies in a bilingual context / Avaluar I diagnosticar les pathologies del llenguatge en un context bilingüe

La transmisión psíquica de la lengua materna de padres a hijos es una necesidad con el fin de que los afectos, las representaciones y las experiencias culturales circulen en el seno del ambiente familiar. El análisis de datos epidemiológicos y el examen de otros datos provenientes de la práctica clínica añadida a la investigación en el campo transcultural nos indican que los trastornos del lenguaje que se estructuran en un contexto bilingüe no son forzosamente consecuencia de la "bilingualidad", pero tienen, sin embargo, una naturaleza específica dada por factores psicológicos y culturales. La Prueba de Evaluación del Lenguaje para Alófonos y Recién llegados (Elal Avicenne) es una metodología basada en el conocimiento de las prácticas de historia del lenguaje familiar y en el reconocimiento de los conocimientos lingüísticos exógenos que puede detectar dichos trastornos

The psychic transmission of the mother tongue from parents to children is a necessity which makes it possible for affect, representations and cultural experiences to circulate within the family environment. The analysis of epidemiological data and the consideration of other data from clinical practice added to the cross-cultural field research indicate that language disorders that are structured in a bilingual context are not necessarily a result of "bilinguality", but rather they have a specific caused by psychological and cultural factors. The Language Assessment Test for Allophones and Newcomers (Elal Avicenna) is a methodology based on knowledge of the practices family history of language and recognition of exogenous linguistic knowledge of the that can detect such disorders

La transmissió psíquica de la llengua materna de pares a fills és una necessitat que té la finalitat que els afectes, les representacions i les experiències culturals circulin en el si de l’ambient familiar. L’anàlisi de dades epidemiològiques i l’examen d’altres dades que provenen de la pràctica clínica afegida la investigació en el camp transcultural ens indiquen que els trastorns del llenguatge que s’estructuren en un context bilingüe no han de ser necessàriament conseqüència de la “bilingualitat”, però tenen una naturalesa específica que ve donada per factors psicològics i culturals. La Prova d’Avaluació del Llenguatge per Al·lòfons i Nouvinguts (Elal Avicenne) és una metodologia basada en el coneixement de les pràctiques de la història del llenguatge familiar i en el reconeixement dels coneixements lingüístics exògens que pot detectar aquests trastorns