Choosing additive bilingualism: a language policy paradox for liminal heritage parents

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examined how language, culture, and identity shaped bilingual education decision-making among predominantly monolingual English-speaking U.S. parents of preschool-aged children. Sixteen participants considering Spanish- or Mandarin-language education for their children completed language and acculturation surveys and participated in phenomenological interviews. We identified Liminal Heritage (LH) parents as those with familial and cultural ties to the target language but limited proficiency resulting from interrupted heritage-language transmission in their own childhoods. Compared with Non-Heritage (NH) parents, who generally viewed bilingualism as an additive educational opportunity, LH parents described family language planning as intertwined with cultural-identity tensions, perceived language loss, repeated efforts to learn, and a desire to learn alongside their children. We characterized this dynamic as the Language Policy Paradox: heritage ties provide strong motivation and cultural resources while also generating uncertainty, regret, and perceived inadequacy that complicate family language planning. The findings highlight the need for educational programs that recognize LH families as distinct from both fluent heritage-language families and non-heritage language learners.