Cultural and Linguistic Socialization Challenges Among Mexican Indigenous Families in the United States

• In Event: Addressing the Educational, Cultural, and Linguistic Challenges of Indigenous Mexican Students in California

Abstract

Indigenous Mexican immigrants speak one or more of the 68 identified indigenous languages spoken in Mexico (Poole, 2004). They have also faced centuries of social and political marginalization in Mexico that is reproduced within Mexican immigrant communities in the U.S. (Stephen, 2007). Despite their growing presence in the U.S., few studies have examined the multilingualism and indigenous language maintenance of indigenous Mexican parents or language socialization with their children. Building on our previous research with indigenous adolescents (Author, 2016a; Author, 2016b; Author, forthcoming), the proposed study aims to examine the linguistic socialization practices of indigenous Mexican parents that may include up to three languages.
The analytical framework for the proposed study is sociocultural socialization theory, which argues that the process of acquiring language is intricately linked to the construction of social roles, cultural affiliations, beliefs, values, and behavioral practices (Parke & Buriel, 2008; Schieffelin & Ochs, 1986). Thus, children acquire a world-view as they acquire a language. As indigenous children learn language through their involvement in social interactions in which language is used, particularly within family contexts, they construct the identities, beliefs, and practices of their communities, which in many cases vary markedly from those of mainstream communities (Mendoza-Denton, 2008).
Our previous research suggests that even in the context of widespread linguistic stigmatization, indigenous youth who are supported by parents and peers display an impressive array of language learning that is not often recognized by the school system (Author et al., 2016). While some express language shame and ambivalence, others find formal and informal ways to maintain fluency in three languages. While ambivalence is at the center of indigenous youth language ideologies, it can change over time from negative to positive resulting in reactivation of passive linguistic knowledge (Messing, 2013; Wilson & Kaman, 2013).
To better understand the relationship between parental language socialization practices and the process of shifting individual language ideologies of indigenous youths we conducted in-depth interviews with 40 Mexican indigenous parents. Data was collected over a 14-month period in Southern California, where large numbers of indigenous Mexican immigrants have settled. Participants were invited to participate in the study through announcements and flyers that were passed out at several indigenous cultural and religious events. Participant-driven sampling was also used. On average the interviews lasted approximately one to two hours. Interview participants were asked to describe their views about the transmission of indigenous cultural values and language to their children.
Results indicate that parents face many challenges in their efforts to transmit their indigenous language to their children, including busy work schedules and children’s lack of interest. Undocumented and mixed-status families have more difficulties due to inability to take their children to visit their hometowns in Mexico to help reinforce their cultural and linguistic socialization efforts. Parents in multiple family households report higher rates of Zapotec language proficiency perhaps due to increase language exposure and intentional language socialization from more adult family figures.
In the conclusion, we highlight the importance of parent-school partnerships to facilitate indigenous language learning and cultural transmission.

Authors

• William Perez, Claremont University - Claremont Graduate University

• Rafael Vasquez, University of California - Davis

• Melissa Mesinas, Stanford University