Family Language Policy among Second and Third-generation Turkish parents in Australia

This paper presents the findings on the maintenance and use of the Turkish language by second generation speakers in Melbourne, Australia. The research explored the language use and choice patterns of second generation Turkish parents. In this paper, particular focus will be on the family language policy in raising their children, third generation Turkish speakers. The research involved case studies of 40 families, including observations and interviews, investigating the use of the community language within the second generation and specifically, the third generations’ use of the Turkish (and English) language. The effects of social media, the Internet and other related technologies on language management practices of Turkish immigrants are also analyzed. The findings show that the parents establish a strong link between ethnic identity and Turkish language maintenance.