Monikielisyys liikkeessä : monikielisen perheen kielelliset resurssit

Abstract

This article discusses multilingualism in a family. We introduce a case study of the use and role of different languages in a family of fi ve. The data were gathered with the help of a visual clock activity previously used in literacy studies, and through interviews. Theoretically, we draw on those dialogical and sociolinguistic notions that regard language as a dynamic phenomenon which is heteroglossic in nature, thus stressing the fundamental multilingualism present in language use. The results of this case study show that there is, indeed, a lot of situated variation in the use of different languages and, further, different values and functions given to different languages that also vary according to the situation. Finally, we argue that the use of multimodal data – visual in addition to the verbal – adds a dimension to the analysis and also enables the more equal involvement of the participants in the study.