Abstract

While there has been research done on Latino individuals' and parents' language attitudes and maintenance practices, there is little known about children's language attitudes and their perceptions of their parents' views towards both Spanish and English. This thesis looks at what the current picture is in terms of Spanish maintenance in Utah County's immigrant families as well as those factors that affect the parents' language attitudes and maintenance efforts. This study also seeks to fill the gap in the literature concerning what children (ages 8-13) think of English, Spanish, their respective cultures, as well as their possible plans to pass Spanish on to their future children. The data show that both parents' first language and the mother's language dominance are crucial factors in determining to what extent Spanish is being maintained at home, how much Spanish media intake the children are receiving, and the parents' consistency in "correcting" their children to respond to them in Spanish. Through various interviews, the findings confirm that children see Spanish and English as being equal and overall enjoy speaking Spanish while preferring English in certain contexts. Nevertheless, the families from this sample are still on the classic trajectory to lose Spanish. Implications of this are discussed, including the disadvantages of diglossia and the lack of diversity. Needs are expressed for more community resources to help the parents maintain Spanish as well as promote bilingualism.

Degree

College and Department

Humanities; Spanish and Portuguese

Rights

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