The identity of first-generation immigrant groups is a highly complex construct, evolving and changing in response to a host of social, psychological, and contextual factors. This paper explores how first-generation Chinese immigrants from mainland China position and negotiate themself in relation to the perceived sociocultural groups they…

This study investigated heritage language (HL) maintenance and ethnic identity among Korean heritage speakers in the Pacific region (Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii), an understudied population in the field. It focused on patterns of language use and factors (i.e. age at immigration (AI), self-rated language proficiency, and frequency of…

This article explores language repertoires, attitudes, and practices amongst members of the East Timorese diaspora in Australia. It relies on quantitative and qualitative data gathered through a recent sociolinguistic survey, ethnographic observation, as well as on general observations of online language use. Our study reveals a complex…

In the study of language maintenance and shift for migrant groups in Australia, scholars have tended to focus on how personal factors or aspects of life in the host society shape language maintenance patterns. In this study, I explore how factors originating in the homeland affect language maintenance for Sri Lankan migrants in Australia. The aim…

Much is known about immigrants' majority language proficiency in the first (immigrant) generation. Less is understood of differences in linguistic shift compared with heritage language retention in subsequent generations. Focusing on Sydney, Australia's largest "EthniCity," we build on Clyne and Kipp's (1999. "Pluricentric Languages…

Ethnolinguistic vitality theory asserts that Status, Demographic, Institutional Support and Control factors make up the vitality of ethnolinguistic groups. An assessment of a group's strengths and weaknesses in each of these dimensions provides a rough classification of ethnolinguistic groups into those having low, medium, or high vitality. Low…

Australia's language and multicultural policies have constructed the intercultural dimension of Australian identity and practice in a number of different ways relating to different community groups. This paper traces the evolution of multicultural policy from the 1970s until the present through the main national policy documents in order to…

There have been few Australian studies of language maintenance amongst immigrant languages from the Indian subcontinent. The present study focuses on Tamil speakers in Melbourne from Sri Lanka or India, who are Hindus or Christians. Tamil is a pluricentric language that has been under the domination of English in these countries, at least amongst…

Investigates the relative significance of family collectivism and minority languages as possible core values among four ethnic groups in the context of Australian society in which the English language and social structures of the majority group are dominant. Respondents were young adults drawn from Greek, Latvian, Italian, and Chinese-Australian…

Addresses the issue of how ethnic groups cognitively represent some of the societal forces impinging upon them and relevant outgroups. The concept of vitality was used to measure Greek- and Anglo-Australians' construals of the sociostructural positions of their own group and of the other group. (SED)

Asserts that in order to participate in and contribute to the development of a cohesive multicultural society, it is not necessary for the members of minority groups to become monolingual speakers of English, and that the goal of a multicultural society should be to appreciate the value of each cultural group. (SED)

Argues that Australians from different ethnic backgrounds are not a threat to cohesion as long as they share the overarching values which are reflected in Australia's democracy, economic system, legal institutions, and in Engish as the common language of communication. Discusses the Greek-Australian tradition of family life. (SED)

The perceived ethnolinguistic vitality of Vietnamese Australians and Anglo Australians in Brisbane is reported, as well as differences based on sex, level of education, and, for Anglo Australians, residence in areas with either high or low concentrations of Vietnamese Australians. Anglo Australians were perceived as much higher in vitality.…

Investigates Greek and English language use among second- and third-generation bilinguals living in the Australian urban social context of Adelaide, where the dynamic process of code interaction has created a sociolinguistic continuum used to define in-group memberships on the basis of which part of the continuum is shared by whom. (40 references)…

Studies the links between cultural diversity within a country and that country's export performance and identifies the basis for such a relationship. Findings indicate that any association between the growth in ethnic groups in Australia and the direction and growth of Australian exports towards recent emigrant countries is weak and irregular. (29…