A1 Journal article (refereed)
Video calls as a nexus of practice in multilingual translocal families (2020)

Palviainen, Å. (2020). Video calls as a nexus of practice in multilingual translocal families. Zeitschrift für Interkulturellen Fremdsprachenunterricht, 25(1), 85-108. https://tujournals.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/index.php/zif/article/view/1007

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Palviainen, Åsa

Journal or series: Zeitschrift für Interkulturellen Fremdsprachenunterricht

eISSN: 1205-6545

Publication year: 2020

Volume: 25

Issue number: 1

Pages range: 85-108

Publisher: Technischen Universität Darmstadt

Publication country: Germany

Publication language: English

Persistent website address: https://tujournals.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/index.php/zif/article/view/1007

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/69782

Abstract

This study explores how daily video calls were used by two multilingual family constellations to keep in contact with members located elsewhere. A three-stage data collection and analysis protocol was developed together with the two main participants, two single mothers each with a 4-year-old child. The results show that active collaboration among all members of the family was needed to get the activity going. The families employed a de facto family language policy where the focus was on successful communication and nurturing emotional bonds rather than developing language skills. At the same time, the regular video calls added a significant amount of time spent together and increased the amount of language input, factors conducive to language transmission. The study shows the urgent need to include digital practices in family language policy research.

Keywords: families; interpersonal communication; communications technology; telephone calls; multilingualism; discourse analysis

Free keywords: video calls; family language policy; multilingualism; mediated discourse analysis

Contributing organizations

Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2020

JUFO rating: 1