LANGUAGE DIVERSITY AT HOME: THE EFFECT OF OFFSPRING SEX AND FAMILY SIZE ON HOUSEHOLD LINGUISTIC PATTERNS

Abstract

Much of sociolinguistic research has shown that exposure to a foreign language in the home is the strongest indicator that a child will become multilingual. Family structures shape communication dynamics within the household, and the presence of foreign languages is much more common in immigrant families. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1979 cohort, this thesis studies the impact of the sex of offspring and family size on the household linguistic environment. The findings suggest gendered language patterns and variances by the immigration status of parents.