Issues of Language Socialization and Language Acquisition Among Italians in Greece

Abstract

This study investigates the ideologies, practices as well as issues of language acquisition among Italian families who live permanently in Greece. Greek literature has shed light on these aspects in relation to immigrant families who reside in Greece (Chatzidaki 2005, Maligkoudi 2010, Gkaintartzi 2013, Gogonas 2007). However, there are scarcely any studies in the Greek literature regarding issues of language socialization among whose L1 is considered to be a “high status” language, such as Italian. Moreover, the difference between Italian and other foreign languages in Greece (and in particular in Thessaloniki where the research was conducted) is the fact that there is no formal or informal form of Italian language courses for children of Italian origin. Such courses and classes are available for children of English (Mattheoudakis and Maligkoudi 2016), German or French origin. There are also complementary schools for children with an Albanian, Polish etc. background (Chatzidaki and Maligkoudi 2013, Maligkoudi 2014). The present research is based on the theoretical framework of Family Language Policy (Spolsky 2004, Curdt Christiansen 2015) and attempts to examine several aspects of child bilingualism in relation to family language practices and ideologies. The focus of the research is on seven families who live in Thessaloniki, Greece, and try to raise their children with both languages, Greek and Italian.