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Article published In:
Language learning for language minority students in a globalized world
Edited by Mark Feng Teng and Fan Fang
[Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 46:2] 2023
► pp. 233–252

Exploring the complexity of linguistic minority students’ use of and attitudes toward everyday translanguaging practices

ORCID logo | Shantou University
| South China University of Technology

This article examines Teochew-speaking learners of English as an example of linguistic minority students’ use of and attitudes toward everyday translanguaging practices. By conducting a series of semi-structured interviews, this qualitative study specifically examines students’ translanguaging process with their mother tongue – Teochew (L1), as well as Putonghua (L2), and other languages/dialects in various contexts, such as family, school, and the wider community. The findings indicate the various translanguaging practices but also reveal a decline and marginalization in Teochew across different generations. This paper argues for the need to preserve Teochew and other heritage languages and home dialects for inclusiveness of language practice. Moreover, translanguaging practices should also be viewed as key in readdressing issues such as power and identity in daily language use, and their importance must be recognized for educational purposes.

Keywords: attitude, linguistic minority language learners, multilingualism, Teochew, translanguaging
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Translanguaging as a practical language theory
    • 2.2Translanguaging and minority languages
  • 3.Data collection
    • 3.1Participants
    • 3.2Data collection and analysis
  • 4.Findings
    • 4.1Translanguaging practices
      • 4.1.1Family
      • 4.1.2School
      • 4.1.3Wider society
    • 4.2Students’ attitudes toward translanguaging practices
  • 5.Discussion and implications
  • 6.Conclusion
  • References
Published online: 17 February 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.22012.fan
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