Heritage Language Valorisation and Family Language Policy in Indonesian Inter-Ethnic Families in Australia?

COLLABORATIVE PUBLICATION

Author(s) : Miftahush Shalihah, Christine Manara

Journal : 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature (Scopus Q1)

Volume & Number : 32 & 2

Abstract :

This article examines the maintenance of Indonesian as a heritage language among mixed-ethnic Indonesian couples residing in Melbourne, Australia. In this study, all couples consist of Indonesians from different regional ethnic backgrounds. It investigates household language policies, parental attitudes, and the strategies employed to sustain the use of Indonesian within family contexts. The study is theoretically grounded by the framework of Family Language Policy (FLP) and the concept of language valorisation. Utilising a qualitative approach, the study involved four Indonesian inter-ethnic families represented by four Indonesian women married to spouses of different regional backgrounds. Data were primarily gathered through in-depth interviews, supplemented by questionnaire responses. The findings reveal that although none of the families had explicit language policies, all respondents regarded Indonesian as the family's heritage language and used it regularly in daily interactions. Parents demonstrated a strong commitment to preserving Indonesian as a means of fostering cultural continuity and identity within a minority setting. Common strategies included regular use of Indonesian at home, access to Indonesian media (e.g., animated videos and books), storytelling grounded in folklore, and engagement in community-based cultural events and playgroups. Despite these positive efforts, the study highlights the need for further research on the long-term effectiveness of such strategies, particularly in addressing potential language shift and attrition among second-generation speakers growing up in multilingual, multicultural contexts.

Keywords : inter-ethnic marriage, language valorization, heritage language, language policies 

DOI : http://doi.org/10.17576/3L-2026-3202-01