雙色玫瑰的嫁接：美國華裔繼承語學習策略

Abstract

華人移民至美國已有百餘年歷史，其子女在雙文化、雙語言的環境浸染下成長，猶如揉雜著雙色花瓣的玫瑰。和外語學習者不同，華語作為中華文化的載體暨傳播媒介，對華裔子女而言具有和家庭、民族、自我認同連結意義的「繼承語」。華裔父母作為語言花園的園丁，看待繼承語的態度及選擇的學習策略如同嫁接玫瑰的手法，將對子女的繼承語學習成效帶來重要的影響。本研究透過半結構式深度訪談，調查了七名美國華裔父母的移民經歷、教育理念及他們為子女制定的繼承語學習策略，透過分析其學習動機、學習方法、遭遇困境，歸納出成功維持繼承語的要素。本研究發現，美國華裔父母主要希望子女透過學習繼承語維繫家族情感、承襲中華文化、奠定族裔認同並拓寬其發展道路。華裔父母採用的學習方法包含沉浸式中文班級、私人中文家教、學校選修課程等「課程學習」以及家庭語言規劃、經常返回母國、收看影視媒體、閱讀文學作品等「非課程學習」，在美國學習繼承語會面臨融入與維持的考驗，具備提供非課程學習環境的資源是華裔家庭的優勢。除此之外，繼承語學習的習慣需要從小建立，當父母看待繼承語的目標明確、雙親態度一致、能長遠考量子女的雙語學習歷程，並根據實際執行狀況彈性調整學習方法，將提高成功維持繼承語的機會。Ethnic Chinese immigrants have resided in the United States for more than a hundred years. Growing up in a bilingual and bicultural environment, these immigrant children are like double-colored roses. Mandarin Chinese should be regarded as their heritage language rather than their second language. For them, heritage language connects to their family, ethnicity, and self-identity.As the gardener in the language garden, immigrant parents’ attitudes toward heritage language and the language learning strategies they choose are grafting technic influencing how roses grow.Through semi-structured in-depth interview, 7 new ethnic Chinese immigrant parents’ immigrate experiences/ education philosophy and heritage language learning strategies used were presented. Moreover, their learning motivation, learning methodology and difficulties they encounter had also been analyzed. Finally, the key factors to maintain heritage language in the United States were addressed in the research.In conclusion, ethnic Chinese immigrant parents hope their children to maintain family relationship, inherit traditional Chinese culture, establish their self-identities, and broaden their future pathways by acquiring heritage language. They might struggle with the maintain-accommodate paradox in the process. The learning methodologies immigrant parents choose includes “Learning in class” e.g. Mandarin Chinese immersion program, private Mandarin Chinese tutor, elective courses at school and “Learning outside class” e.g. family language policy, visiting home country frequently, watching media, film and TV, reading literature works etc. Having resources to provide “Learning outside class” is ethnic Chinese family’s main advantage.Furthermore, heritage language learning habit needs to be built since childhood. It’s more likely to maintain heritage language successfully when parents set specific goals, have consistent attitudes, consider their children’ s bilingual learning in the long run and using roll planning method to adjust ever-changing learning environment.