Conceptualising successful intergenerational transmission in terms of saibhreas: Family language support in the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht

Smith-Christmas, Cassie, & Ruiséal, Orlaith. (2022). Conceptualising Successful Intergenerational Language Transmission in Terms of saibhreas: Family Language Support in the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht. In Michael Hornsby & Wilson McLeod (Eds.), Transmitting Minority Languages: Complementary Reversing Language Shift Strategies (pp. 17-44). Palgrave Studies in Minority Languages and Communities. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87910-5_2

Abstract

This chapter proposes the saibhreas model (‘richness’ in Irish) as a means to explore caregivers’ goals in intergenerational language transmission. The chapter argues that although the field of Family Language Policy (‘FLP’) has contributed much to elucidating the intricacies of language use in the family, we as FLP researchers have not sufficiently interrogated the concept ‘intergenerational language transmission’. Our aim in this chapter therefore is to provide a means to conceptualise ‘success’ in intergenerational transmission in a way which privileges the dynamic and emotional aspects of language use, in addition to the linguistic dimensions. Conceived through work with Tús Maith, the complementary family language support programme in the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht in Ireland, we argue that caregivers’ main aim is for their child to achieve saibhreas’ (‘richness’) in their language use, which in turn can be broken down into three intersecting components: competent language use; local language use; and embodied language use.

Publisher

Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

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CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IE

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