No abstract

No abstract

Immigration from diverse countries of origin has brought to Australia a great linguistic diversity. Moving to Australia, many migrant communities tend to shift from their heritage languages (HLs) and shift to English. Korean migrant communities, however, buck this trend. Notable within the Korean communities are ethnic church congregations, which offer social networks to maintain Korean identity. Focusing on the Korean communities in Australia, this study extends the limited knowledge about the potential of migrant religious organisations to promote HL maintenance. Specifically, drawing on data from 300 surveys collected from parents and semi-structured interviews with eight parents and their children, this study compares experiences of HL maintenance among families who attend a Korean church with those who do not. A key finding is that families affiliated with a Korean church are more likely to prioritise HL learning, practise the language and be proficient in the language than those who are not. Additionally, participants in this study reported that Korean churches provide valuable opportunities for HL learning. This study contributes to an understanding of the intertwined dynamics of migration, religion and language.

Increasing globalisation has spurred a flow of migrants worldwide. These movements include exchanges of migrants’ linguistic repertoires across regions, transforming the ways in which they define themselves in a multilingual society. Unlike identity categories such as ethnic identity, the contested concept of citizenship identity has remained underexplored in heritage language (HL) research. Focusing on Korean migrant families in Australia, this study extends the limited knowledge about the roles of citizenship in HL maintenance across different generations. Specifically, drawing on interviews with six Korean-speaking parents and their children, this study compares the ways in which migrant parents and their primary and secondary school-aged children relate a HL to their citizenship status. Thematic analysis reveals that while HL-speaking children tend to associate their language with national or ethnic identities, migrant parents are more likely to identify their children as global citizens whose HL competencies are essential for their future career and economic advantage. The study contributes to scholarship at the intersection of HL, citizenship, and globalisation.