Navigating Dual Worlds
Language Acquisition Strategies and Emergent Identity in Bilingual Gelao-Han Chinese Children
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22006296 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Mian Huang (0000-0002-3817-8432, Chongqing Normal University), 黄缅 黄缅 (Chongqing Normal University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | SAGE Open (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/21582440261451072 |
| OpenAlex | W7162294240 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 35 |
This study examines how Gelao children navigate bilingual development and identity construction in a context of rapid language shift in southwestern China. Addressing gaps in child-centered perspectives within sociolinguistic research, the study focuses on three questions concerning the ecological distribution of language use, children’s language acquisition strategies and their relationship with proficiency, and the construction of ethnic and linguistic identities. A qualitatively driven mixed-methods design grounded in critical ethnography was employed, combining participant observation, semi-structured interviews, language background questionnaires, elicitation tasks, and audio-recordings of naturalistic interactions. The findings reveal a clear domain-based distribution of Gelao and Mandarin across home, school, and community settings, alongside children’s active use of domain-specific, interactional, and cognitive strategies in language acquisition. Quantitative analyses indicate that while exposure and family interaction provide a foundation, active language use is more closely associated with higher heritage language proficiency. The study further shows that children display metalinguistic awareness and construct flexible, context-sensitive identities through their language practices. These findings highlight the importance of child agency in bilingual development and suggest that language maintenance efforts should move beyond input-focused approaches to support active language use within meaningful social contexts
Developmental linguistics · Ethnic group · Heritage language · Language acquisition · Mandarin Chinese · Metalinguistics · Multilingualism · Second-language acquisition · Language Development and Disorders · Linguistic Variation and Morphology · Multilingual Education and Policy
Emotions and Multilingualism
Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism
Embodied sociolinguistics
Family language policy
Translanguaging, Bilingualism, and Bilingual Education
Discourse and Identity Construction
Purposeful Sampling for Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis in Mixed Method Implementation Research
Between Authenticity and Commodification
Moments of metalinguistic awareness in a Kindergarten class
Making meaning
Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis
Language education policy in late modernity
An ecological approach to family language policy research
Identity and Language Learning
Multilingualism in China
Language Attitudes and Identities in Multilingual China
Translanguaging as a Practical Theory of Language
Essentials of a Theory of Language Cognition
Bringing Race Into Second Language Acquisition
Identity and interaction
Language Socialization
Ontologies of language, Second Language Acquisition, and world Englishes
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |