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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]
Copyright of Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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DbLabel: Education Research Complete
An: 193526070
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Label: Title
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  Data: Explicit vs. unconscious management of the language policy: conflicting ideologies and practices of Sindhi families in Karachi, Pakistan.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Abbasi%2C+Muhammad+Hassan%22">Abbasi, Muhammad Hassan</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> mhassan.abbasi@outlook.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Soomro%2C+Abdul+Fattah%22">Soomro, Abdul Fattah</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22David%2C+Maya+Khemlani%22">David, Maya Khemlani</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Multilingual+%26+Multicultural+Development%22">Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 47 Issue 4, p2253-2270. 18p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+planning%22">Language planning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Families%22">Families</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multilingualism%22">Multilingualism</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitudes+toward+language%22">Attitudes toward language</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Native+language%22">Native language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Linguistics%22">Linguistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Urdu+language%22">Urdu language</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sindh+%28Pakistan%29%22">Sindh (Pakistan)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Karachi+%28Pakistan%29%22">Karachi (Pakistan)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pakistan%22">Pakistan</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: 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]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=193526070
RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/01434632.2025.2464923
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 2253
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Language planning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Families
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multilingualism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attitudes toward language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Native language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Linguistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Urdu language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sindh (Pakistan)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Karachi (Pakistan)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pakistan
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Explicit vs. unconscious management of the language policy: conflicting ideologies and practices of Sindhi families in Karachi, Pakistan.
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            NameFull: Abbasi, Muhammad Hassan
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            NameFull: Soomro, Abdul Fattah
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            NameFull: David, Maya Khemlani
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            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Text: May2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 47
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development
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