Language Attitudes of the Mongolian Diaspora in Canada
| dc.contributor.advisor | Kettig, Thomas | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Hoffman, Michol F. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ganbaatar, Minjee | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-01-22T21:54:13Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-01-22T21:54:13Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The Mongolian diaspora in Canada is relatively recent with the majority of migration occurring after the implementation of the 2001 Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Previous research on minority languages and dominant languages among immigrant communities demonstrates complex relationships between language attitudes and identity formation (Canagarajah, 2013; Lustanski, 2009). However, while studies exist on various immigrant communities' language attitudes in Canada, the Mongolian diaspora's linguistic dynamics remain unexplored. This study investigates the effects of age, residency duration, and socio-economic factors on language attitudes among Mongolian Canadians, examining how these variables influence the construction of their identity in various social settings. The study uses quantitative analysis of survey data collected from 30 first-generation Mongolian immigrants in Canada, representing 2% of the total Mongolian diaspora population. The survey examines language attitudes across multiple domains: social solidarity, occupation, education, media consumption, and domain-specific usage. For example, the data reveals a clear pattern where older immigrants maintain stronger connections to their heritage language, particularly in home and social settings, while younger immigrants prefer English (see Table 6.1). Results reveal three key findings: First, the participants exhibit what Fishman (1977) terms "folk bilingualism," where the Mongolian language exists alongside English as a minority language with lower social status but a strong cultural connection. Second, unlike Polish-Canadians studied by Lustanski (2009), who view their mother tongue as less critical when not threatened in their homeland, Mongolian-Canadians maintain a strong attachment to their mother tongue despite its minority status. Third, similar to Canagarajah's (2013) findings with Tamil families, Mongolian-Canadians demonstrate fluid identity construction, with 43% of families using both languages in parent-child communication, as well as 54% of them reporting using both languages with friends. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10315/42609 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.subject | Mongolian | |
| dc.subject | Mongol | |
| dc.subject | Language | |
| dc.subject | Immigrants | |
| dc.subject | Heritage | |
| dc.title | Language Attitudes of the Mongolian Diaspora in Canada | |
| dc.type | Research Paper |