Family language policy in the Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning: a review essay (2016–2022)

ABSTRACT

Language policy studies must include family language policy. Chinese-relevant research needs improvement, but international-relevant research has matured. Nevertheless, the number of professionals such as Yuming Li and Curdt-Christiansen who are conducting research in this field is increasing. The Spolsky triple theoretical framework improves knowledge of family language policy and explains family language policy research. More international communication and population movements will complicate family language. Policy research will also generate new questions and findings. China’s internal research mostly centers around challenges, study findings, and visual aspects, necessitating a comprehensive comprehension. This study uses 38 papers on family language policy research from 2016 to 2022 in the Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning (CJLPP), an authoritative Chinese journal. It does qualitative analysis to assess the status and progress of family language policy research in China. The research findings indicate that the focus of family language policy studies in journals has primarily centered around two specific themes during the period of 2017–2019. The family language policy study was imbalanced, homogenized, qualitative, and theme-based. Through statistics and analysis of family language policy publications in “Research on Language Strategy,” this study summarizes existing research.

KEYWORDS:

• CJLPP
• family language policy
• language planning
• Chinese school of life

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the editorial staff of Inter-Asia Cultural Studies and especially thank Walailak University for providing individual research grants (Walailak University Contract No. WU65223) to support this study.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mingwei Huang

Mingwei Huang is a Chinese educator who works at Walailak University’s school of Liberal Arts. The areas of comparative linguistics and language policy are the primary topics of his present research.

Pawares Funoi

Pawares Funoi is a Chinese educator at the School of Liberal Arts, Walailak University. Her area of expertise lies in the field of Chinese-Thai linguistics, specifically in the realm of historical linguistics about Sino-Tibetan languages. Her research also encompasses the study of Chinese culture and language.