This study examines Family Language Policy (FLP) among Indonesian migrant families in Samarinda, East Borneo, with the evolving sociolinguistic landscape shaped by internal migration and globalization. While previous studies on FLP in Indonesia have primarily focused on heritage language shift and maintenance, little is known about how migrant families perceive and navigate multilinguality across various languages. This study aims to address this gap by examining (1) how Indonesian migrant families perceive their multilinguality in relation to heritage, national, and foreign languages; (2) how they navigate their language policy to foster multilinguality; and (3) the factors influencing parents’ decisions to instill multilinguality in their children.
This study employs a qualitative case study by integrating language portraits, in-depth interviews, and non-participant observations to collect data. The participants consist of ten middle-class migrant families, represented by one parent from each family, who have resided in Samarinda for over seven years, with at least one child under the age of nine. This selection ensures that participants have had sufficient time to adapt to the local sociolinguistic environment while still actively shaping their children’s linguistic exposure. To elicit the data, the study employed 10 language portraits within approximately 300 minutes of interviews, 600 minutes of semi-structured interviews with parents, 150 minutes of non-participant home observation (video recordings provided by parents), and parental language-use reports respectively. These data were conducted to investigate how multilinguality was constructed and enacted within the participating families. The data were analyzed using six-step thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) based on Spolsky’s FLP framework of language ideology, Nguyen’s (2022) Individual Language Policy, and Douglas Fir Group’s (2016) Transdisciplinary framework which allow for an integrated analysis across micro, meso, and macro levels.
Findings reveal that Indonesian migrant families adopt diverse and dynamic language ideologies, influenced by cultural heritage, economic aspirations, religious practices, and digital globalization. While national and foreign languages such as Indonesian and English are often prioritized for integration and socioeconomic advancement, heritage languages are maintained as symbols of ethnic identity and emotional continuity. Importantly, families conceptualize multilinguality as a resource. They view heritage, national, and foreign languages not as competing codes but as complementary tools used fluidly across contexts. This repertoire-based approach is reflected in their language management strategies, which incorporate translanguaging, structured language exposure, and adaptive intergenerational practices to maintain linguistic balance at home. At the influencing level, three main factors shape family language policies. At the micro level, parental attachment, language ability, and children’s agency play a central role in daily language use. At the meso level, extended family, and community interactions, support parental efforts. At the macro level, national education policies, broader societal ideologies, and the impact of globalization frame how migrant families construct and sustain multilinguality.
These findings have important implications for language policy and education in Indonesia. The study advocates for educational frameworks and policies that transcend binary notions of language maintenance or shift and, instead supporting multilinguality as a lived reality. Schools should consider flexible language programs that validate and cultivate multilingual repertoires. Moreover, this study advances Spolsky’s FLP research by bridging with broader sociocultural dynamics through a transdisciplinary lens. In doing so, it provides a more comprehensive understanding of language practices in Global South contexts such as Indonesia. |