The digital shift in parental strategies for heritage language maintenance.

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Title: The digital shift in parental strategies for heritage language maintenance.
Authors: Torsh, Hanna I.1 (AUTHOR) hanna.torsh@mq.edu.au
Source: Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development. Jul2026, Vol. 47 Issue 5, p2855-2871. 17p.
Subject Terms: *Language maintenance, *Digital transformation, *Bilingualism, Sexual division of labor, Heritage language speakers, Historical analysis
Geographic Terms: Sydney (N.S.W.), Australia
Abstract: Research shows that language maintenance of migrant heritage languages correlates with positive social outcomes [Han, W.-J., and C.-C. Huang. 2010. "The Forgotten Treasure: Bilingualism and Asian Children's Emotional and Behavioral Health." American Journal of Public Health 100 (5): 831–839. ]. Family language policy (FLP) is a research programme which explores the family level language planning to maintain or transmit heritage languages. However, much research in this space is synchronic and language-focused rather than diachronic and speaker-focused. This study aims to fill this gap by taking a diachronic approach to FLP in a group of parents in mixed-language relationships over a 10-year period in Sydney, Australia. The research data consists of 38 qualitative interviews with at least one or both parents in 27 mixed-language couples across two points in time between 2012 and 2021. The study examines the changing language maintenance strategies of participants from face to face into the digital realm. It suggests that FLP in the digital mode has both affordances and limitations for language maintenance. The study also argues that the digital shift has not lessened the nature of language maintenance as gendered work. [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: 195033727
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  Data: The digital shift in parental strategies for heritage language maintenance.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Torsh%2C+Hanna+I%2E%22">Torsh, Hanna I.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> hanna.torsh@mq.edu.au</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Multilingual+%26+Multicultural+Development%22">Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 47 Issue 5, p2855-2871. 17p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+maintenance%22">Language maintenance</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+transformation%22">Digital transformation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bilingualism%22">Bilingualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+division+of+labor%22">Sexual division of labor</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heritage+language+speakers%22">Heritage language speakers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Historical+analysis%22">Historical analysis</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sydney+%28N%2ES%2EW%2E%29%22">Sydney (N.S.W.)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Research shows that language maintenance of migrant heritage languages correlates with positive social outcomes [Han, W.-J., and C.-C. Huang. 2010. "The Forgotten Treasure: Bilingualism and Asian Children's Emotional and Behavioral Health." American Journal of Public Health 100 (5): 831–839. ]. Family language policy (FLP) is a research programme which explores the family level language planning to maintain or transmit heritage languages. However, much research in this space is synchronic and language-focused rather than diachronic and speaker-focused. This study aims to fill this gap by taking a diachronic approach to FLP in a group of parents in mixed-language relationships over a 10-year period in Sydney, Australia. The research data consists of 38 qualitative interviews with at least one or both parents in 27 mixed-language couples across two points in time between 2012 and 2021. The study examines the changing language maintenance strategies of participants from face to face into the digital realm. It suggests that FLP in the digital mode has both affordances and limitations for language maintenance. The study also argues that the digital shift has not lessened the nature of language maintenance as gendered work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  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.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/01434632.2025.2491607
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 2855
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Language maintenance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Digital transformation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bilingualism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sexual division of labor
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Heritage language speakers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Historical analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sydney (N.S.W.)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Australia
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      – TitleFull: The digital shift in parental strategies for heritage language maintenance.
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            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Text: Jul2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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