Open AccessGerman-Spanish bilingualism in two mennonite communities in Mexico
Author(s) -
Dennis J. Bixler-Márquez
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
estudios fronterizos (méxico)/estudios fronterizos
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2395-9134
pISSN - 0187-6961
DOI - 10.21670/ref.1989.18-19.a05
Subject(s) - neuroscience of multilingualism , german , swift , preference , sociology , modernization theory , gender studies , geography , linguistics , political science , archaeology , law , mathematics , philosophy , computer science , programming language , statistics
This study was conducted to determine the level and degree of stability of bilingualism (German-Spanish) in two German communities in Chihuahua, México. The cornmunity of Colonia Capulín was selected because it was representative of the most fundamental and conservative Mennonite groups. A former Mennonite group in Colonia Swift Current was selected to provide a contrast because it was undergoing a significant degree of a cculturation and modernization.A household survey, interviews, and sustained observation yielded the salient sociolinguistic characteristics of selected societal domains in both communities. Only the obvious language use and preference pattems that emerged from the survey were included as preliminary findings. It was concluded that the fundamental community in Colonia Capulín had stable bilingualism, while the group in Colonia Swift Current was best characterized by transitional bilingualism.