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Explicit vs. unconscious management of the language policy: conflicting ideologies and practices of Sindhi families in Karachi, Pakistan.

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Title: Explicit vs. unconscious management of the language policy: conflicting ideologies and practices of Sindhi families in Karachi, Pakistan.
Authors: Abbasi, Muhammad Hassan1,2 (AUTHOR) mhassan.abbasi@outlook.com, Soomro, Abdul Fattah3 (AUTHOR), David, Maya Khemlani4 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development. May2026, Vol. 47 Issue 4, p2253-2270. 18p.
Subject Terms: *Language planning, *Families, *Multilingualism, *Attitudes toward language, *Native language, Linguistics, Urdu language
Geographic Terms: Sindh (Pakistan), Karachi (Pakistan), Pakistan
Abstract: Family Language Policy (FLP) has primarily focused on transnational contexts in developing countries. However, South Asian countries, characterised by internal migration and exogamous marriages, have been limited in this research area. Using Spolsky's ([Spolsky, B. 2004. Language Policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press]; [Spolsky, B. 2009. Language Management. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press]) theoretical model of FLP integrated with Curdt-Christiansen, Xiao Lan, and J. Huang. [2020. "Factors Influencing Family Language Policy." In Handbook ofSocial and Affective Factors in Home Language Maintenance and Development, edited by A. Shalley and S. Eisenchlas, 174–193. De Gruyter Mouton], this qualitative study addresses this gap by exploring the language ideology, practices, and language management of three multilingual Sindhi families. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and participant observation tools and analysed using thematic analysis. The explicit ideological beliefs of multilingual Sindhi parents revealed that Urdu and English have instrumental value and are important for social mobility. Meanwhile, their implicit ideology promoting Sindhi was rooted in social, cultural and political phenomena. Language practices showed that Urdu and English were used for communication with children due to their prominence in the country's language policy of the country, while Sindhi was mainly spoken with extended family members. Similarly, language management indicated that parents utilised resources for Urdu and English languages while unconscious planning by parents resulted in positive attitudes and motivation in children to maintain their heritage language. The present study highlights the complex FLP of multilingual Sindhi families, where parents balance and manage three languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Education Research Complete
Description
Abstract:Family Language Policy (FLP) has primarily focused on transnational contexts in developing countries. However, South Asian countries, characterised by internal migration and exogamous marriages, have been limited in this research area. Using Spolsky's ([Spolsky, B. 2004. Language Policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press]; [Spolsky, B. 2009. Language Management. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press]) theoretical model of FLP integrated with Curdt-Christiansen, Xiao Lan, and J. Huang. [2020. "Factors Influencing Family Language Policy." In Handbook ofSocial and Affective Factors in Home Language Maintenance and Development, edited by A. Shalley and S. Eisenchlas, 174–193. De Gruyter Mouton], this qualitative study addresses this gap by exploring the language ideology, practices, and language management of three multilingual Sindhi families. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and participant observation tools and analysed using thematic analysis. The explicit ideological beliefs of multilingual Sindhi parents revealed that Urdu and English have instrumental value and are important for social mobility. Meanwhile, their implicit ideology promoting Sindhi was rooted in social, cultural and political phenomena. Language practices showed that Urdu and English were used for communication with children due to their prominence in the country's language policy of the country, while Sindhi was mainly spoken with extended family members. Similarly, language management indicated that parents utilised resources for Urdu and English languages while unconscious planning by parents resulted in positive attitudes and motivation in children to maintain their heritage language. The present study highlights the complex FLP of multilingual Sindhi families, where parents balance and manage three languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:01434632
DOI:10.1080/01434632.2025.2464923