Family language policy in the public eye: raciolinguistic ideologies at play

This study draws on a rare media incident in which an individual family language policy (FLP) became the subject of public discussion and debate. In interview Swedish national television (SVT2), Nadim Ghazale, high-profile police officer Lebanese background, was asked why he had decided not to speak his “mother tongue”, Arabic, with children. His answer sparked considerable reaction. The aim this article is take debate by Ghazale’s FLP decision as empirical entry point into understanding how debates about multilingualism are discursive battleground other identity issues negotiated contested. To end, critical discourse analysis notion raciolinguistic ideology demonstrate arguments advanced Ghazale those who reacted against informed logic that mutually constitutes language, race social class. A detailed relevant data illustrates appearance naming serve signs differentiation contributing positioning Otherness. also offers interesting counterpoint discourses view bilingualism intrinsically advantageous speakers. say bi/multingualism necessarily has drawbacks; rather, we should be careful issuing too-quick verdicts guilt parents like without fully appreciating ideologies at play relation Arabic Sweden.