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Title: Determinants of bilingualism among children: an econometric analysis.

Citation Type: Book, Section

Publication Year: 2020

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Abstract: This chapter analyzes the determinants of bilingualism at home (i.e. speaking a language other than or in addition to English) among children born in the United States or who immigrated as children. It does this through an analysis of a large data set (American Community Survey [ACS]) using the tools and methodology of economics. Little attention has been devoted to the determinants of bilingualism among children in the United States in the economics literature. This is largely due to the lack of suitable microeconomic data. However, the origin of bilingualism among native-born American children is a topic of particular interest. Usua11y, considerable conscious investment of time and out-of-pocket expenses in learning a second language (a form of human capital) are required for an adult; however, children do not usually make such an investment consciously and may obtain their knowledge through another path, such as interacting with a parent, or other caregiver, who speaks a language other than English. It is also important to consider foreign-born children who immigrated at a very young age, for example, prior to the age of 14, the so-called 1.5 generation. These children may have already developed competence in the language(s) of their country of origin, even if they no longer practice it/them at home in the host country.

Url: https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/WFjPDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1

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Authors: Chiswick, Barry, R; Gindelsky, Marina

Editors: Vigouroux, Cécile, B.; Mufwene, Salikoko, S

Pages: 158-181

Volume Title: Bridging Linguistics and Economics

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

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Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Family and Marriage, Migration and Immigration, Other, Race and Ethnicity

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