• Overview
• Research Platforms
• Thematic Area A: Language, Identity and Culture
• Thematic Area B: Language Policy and Planning
• Thematic Area C: Multilingualism and Education
• Thematic Area D: Language and Economy
• European Level
• National Level
• European Level
• Communication, Management, Infrastructure, Training and Gender

Multilingualism amongst minority population: a case of trans-cultural capital or social exclusion?

(WP11, 2006–2008)

Summary Results

Language Competence of Immigrants: Neither Appreciated Nor Advanced

It is a common belief that people with lacking language skills risk getting low-level jobs. However, LINEE researchers showed that the relation works the other way round, too: some low-level jobs need no sophisticated language skills, and therefore migrants doing these jobs have difficulties with improving their language competence and lack the motivation to do so.

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Rationale

Migrants from former French colonies such as Madagascar and Senegal have traditionally settled in or near the old empirical centre of Paris or certain other clustered communities (Marseilles, Bordeaux), because of strong social networks within these communities, underwritten by old colonial ties and a shared colonial language. In the last decades, however, the picture has become more complex, with many migrants choosing or being forced to go to other countries than France where they do not initially command the language. This WP addresses the motivation behind such moves. It also investigates how and under which contextual circumstances such different groups of migrants experience their linguistic abilities as a form of upskilling which provides them with social/economic/cultural capital as against the opposite, e.g. as a source of discrimination and social exclusion.

Objectives

Aims are to assess the level of bi- or multilingualism of Francophone migrants from Africa in migrant networks spreading out from Paris and Munich, understand the motivations which lead Francophone migrants to go to non- French-speaking countries, and assess the difficulties and opportunities this entails from their point of view. It also aims at a comparison between the level of satisfaction and social integration/ social exclusion of Francophone Africans in their new places of residence and the level of ‘upskilling’ provided by the acquisition of a new language. The WP assesses the extent to which this is perceived and made use of as a ‘cultural capital’. Finally, this WP wants to relate these findings to other factors, such as amongst others level of linguistic ability, types of profession/education, clustered or non-clustered diasporic settings, strength of ethnic networks etc.