Abstract
This project will attempt to arrive at an integrated view of the determinants of bilingual development among migrants. On the basis of sociodemographic, sociopsychological and linguistic-theoretical factors, a comprehensive framework will be attained which will make it possible to predict more accurately the outcomes of linguistic development and to evaluate the impact and success of measures intended to encourage migrants to improve their L2 proficiency. Established distinctions, such as integrative vs. instrumental motivation and additive vs. subtractive bilingualism will be reevaluated from a multicompetence perspective. In order to do this, 3 groups of immigrants (Italians, Moroccans, and Turks) in two countries (Germany and The Netherlands) will be investigated. The particular groups are chosen for their demographic representation and prestige in the immigrant countries, to achieve a combination which will allow for a detailed assessment of the influence of both linguistic and sociodemographic factors. On this basis we hope to come to a better understanding of the complex interaction of these factors and assess the interdependency of bilingual skills. The project also aims to arrive at a new definition of bilingual skills in terms of multicompetence. The results of the project should contribute to improve the understanding of bilingualism in society and to appreciate its benefits. Another important goal of our investigation is to provide empirical evidence for the assumption that linguistic integration is more difficult for some minority groups than for others. The outcome of the study will form a basis for the development of measures and instruments to improve bilingual competence among migrant groups, and allow specific and targeted recommendations how to improve the overall language proficiency of particular demographic groups. This project is part of a large-scale international cooperation, which will compare speakers from 7 source and 4 target languages in different settings, and thus will make it possible to establish how these factors interact with linguistic factors that are determined by typological characteristics of the source and target language. This is a joint application for one part of a larger project for which funding is being sought in Germany and Israel simultaneously.