Ethnicity and Immigrant Values: Religion and Language Choice

Abstract

While the British literature on multilingualism has invoked value differentials not only between Asian immigrant groups and the host culture but also amongst the former, no empirical evidence actually exists. Hence, an extended Rokeach Value Survey was administered to three Asian groups (Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs) and to a British indigenous sample; the bilingual immigrants were offered a choice of the questionnaire in their own ethnic tongue or in English. Canonical variate analyses showed large intergroup value differentials with language choice having an effect for all Asian groups (greatest for Sikhs and least for Hindus). The specific differentials, however, depended on the dimension examined. Immigrants choosing English had a value position intermediate to the indigenous group and the Asians choosing their ingroup tongue.