A Study of Eastern Armenian Heritage Language Speakers in Los Angeles
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles “How Do I Teach My Kids My Broken Armenian?”: A Study of Eastern Armenian Heritage Language Speakers in Los Angeles A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures by Shushan Karapetian 2014 © Copyright by Shushan Karapetian 2014 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION “How Do I Teach My Kids My Broken Armenian?”: A Study of Eastern Armenian Heritage Language Speakers in Los Angeles by Shushan Karapetian Doctor of Philosophy in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures University of California, Los Angeles, 2014 Professor Peter S. Cowe, Co-Chair Professor Olga Kagan, Co-Chair This dissertation introduces Armenian, specifically Eastern Armenian in the Los Angeles context, into the landscape of heritage languages in the United States. Given the lack of knowledge about Armenian as a heritage language, both in the fields of Heritage Language Research and Armenian Studies, this study offers the first comprehensive examination of Armenian heritage language speakers in a variety of capacities. Each chapter presents a dimension of its own, highlighting particular qualities of this group of speakers while expanding knowledge about heritage languages and speakers in general. The study begins by assessing the overall landscape of Armenian and Armenians in Los Angeles, including an evaluation of the linguistic presence and use of the language, as well as signs of loss. The research then examines the incomplete acquisition process among heritage speakers by delineating linguistic features in ii the categories of phonology, morphology, register, and borrowings from English. Additionally, patterns of language use are investigated with the proposal of multiple domains of linguistic compartmentalization. Moreover, this study explores the persistent anxiety connected with using the heritage language and identifies the damaging cycle it generates. Finally, this research considers inconsistent attitudes and beliefs concerning the heritage language with an analysis of the impact of competing majority and minority language ideologies. The primary source of data for this dissertation stems from a series of in-depth audio- recorded interviews with college-age heritage language learners of Eastern Armenian, consisting of questions related to background, education, use of, and attitude to the heritage language. The entire corpus of interviews was transcribed and analyzed using qualitative research conventions and methods. iii The dissertation of Shushan Karapetian is approved. Michael David Cooperson Peter S. Cowe, Committee Co-chair Olga Kagan, Committee Co-chair University of California, Los Angeles 2014 iv DEDICATION For Ani and her soon-to-be sister v TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction..................................................................................................................1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................1 Heritage Languages and Heritage Language Speakers/Learners in the U.S. ...............................2 General Features of Heritage Speakers/Learners .........................................................................5 Motivation ..................................................................................................................................11 Language Socialization ..............................................................................................................11 Language Attitude, Ethnic Identity, and Language Ideology ....................................................13 Armenian as a Heritage Language .............................................................................................15 Data Sources, Participants, and Methods ...................................................................................16 Interviews with Armenian Heritage Language Learners ........................................................16 National Heritage Language Survey ......................................................................................19 Task Forces .............................................................................................................................20 Other .......................................................................................................................................21 Chapter Breakdown .......................................................................................................................21 Chapter 2 Armenian and Armenians in Los Angeles County .................................................23 Introduction ................................................................................................................................23 Armenian Language ...................................................................................................................23 Armenian Immigration to the U.S. .............................................................................................34 A Closer Look: Armenians in the U.S. Census ..........................................................................37 Armenians in Los Angeles County ............................................................................................40 Presence of Armenian: Signs of Maintenance ...........................................................................46 Social Services........................................................................................................................46 Media ......................................................................................................................................47 Cultural Events .......................................................................................................................49 Public Education .....................................................................................................................50 Private Education....................................................................................................................55 Signs of Loss ..............................................................................................................................59 Language Spoken at Home .....................................................................................................59 Task Forces .............................................................................................................................61 Conclusion .....................................................................................................................................66 Chapter 3 Linguistic Features ....................................................................................................67 Introduction ................................................................................................................................67 Phonology. ..................................................................................................................................70 Morphology ................................................................................................................................76 Register .......................................................................................................................................82 Language Contact and Transfer ................................................................................................85 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................91 Chapter 4 Language Use Patterns: Compartmentalization Across Multiple Domains ........93 Introduction ................................................................................................................................93 Immigrant Bilingualism, Language Use Patterns, and Compartmentalization. .........................93 Compartmentalization Based on Age .........................................................................................99 Gender Based Compartmentalization .......................................................................................107 Compartmentalization of Medium of Communication ...........................................................120 Special Compartmentalization ................................................................................................128 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................135 vi Chapter 5 Teasing, Criticism, Error Correction, and Fear of Judgment: A Destructive Cycle ............................................................................................................................................137 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................137 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................140 The Comprehensible Input Hypothesis ...................................................................................144 Teasing, Error Correction, and Criticism .................................................................................146 Debilitating Affective Filters: Lacking Self-Confidence and Fear of Judgment .....................150 Avoiding Interaction in