Theoretical, empirical, and practice literature on language brokering: Family, academic, and psychological outcomes

ABSTRACT

Language is an important characteristic of culture. Importantly, with the ever-present migration of persons across countries and cultures, physical boundaries of language have been blurred creating a robust area of study: language brokering in the context of globalization. Migration and immigration often necessitate the learning of a new language and in immigrant families, open an opportunity for language skill differences and language brokering. Language brokering is a process by which a bilingual individual, often the children of immigrants, assists in communication between two parties speaking distinct languages. This common practice has generated an increased focus and body of research on the current and aftereffects of language brokering on individuals who broker. The present article provides a brief review of the literature on language brokering including identified antecedents and select outcomes such as family, academic, and psychological outcomes. Overall, the literature shows the associations among language brokering, the contexts in which it may occur, and the outcomes (family, academic, and psychological) for language brokers remain less than clearly understood, although inroads are being made as researchers delve more deeply into specific areas such as parentification, age, child development, and family dynamics.

KEYWORDS:

• Language brokering
• parentification
• translator
• bilingualism
• immigrant families
• acculturation
• culture brokering
• psychological outcomes

Declaration of interest

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was not supported by funding.