Deaf asylum seekers' transformation of language beliefs during the asylum procedure

Authors

• Nina Sivunen The Centre for Applied Language Studies, University of Jyväskylä

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23997/pk.110925

Keywords:

deaf asylum seekers, experiences of languages, language belief, linguistic ethnography, signed languages

Abstract

This article examines the language beliefs of two deaf asylum seekers, Mona and Omar, based
on the interviews. The goal is to understand how experiences of languages during the asylum
procedure has transformed interviewees’ beliefs of languages and language practices. Thi
study is based on linguistic ethnography as a theoretical and methodological approach. Th
data consist of three ethnographic group interviews carried out in 2015–2017 at reception
centers and the new homes of the interviewees. The data were analysed using content analysis.
This study concludes that interviewees’ language beliefs has adapted in middle of a space, time
and different value systems and social practices, such as in asylum procedure. Furthermore,
it was found that the new learned languages are more linguistically accessible than their
previously used languages and linguistic practices.