Conference paper

Cultural Identity and Language: Young Yugoslavs in Sweden

Kjell Magnusson ; Uppsala, Sweden

Abstract

The author presents some results of the project: “Between Two Cultures: Attitudes and Behaviour of Young Yugoslavs in Sweden”, which aims to show how much young Yugoslavs in Sweden feel themselves to be Yugoslavs, what are the dimensions of their identity and which factors influence the Yugoslav cultural identity in Sweden. 730 pupils from Malmö (from the 4th grade to the end of secondary school) were queried, along with 165 (in the age group of 10 to 20 years) from the rest of Sweden. The sample was not representative (partly because it was conceived as a total sample, and partly because of a lower return of mailed questionnaires – 20%). However, the author presents a large number of results pertaining to the language situation, which he relates to the level of cultural identity. The general picture shows that respondents identified as Yugoslavs, that they preserved their mother tongue in communication with their parents, and used Swedish in communication with their peers. Most had a poor knowledge of their mother tongue in standard form. Only a small number regularly read newspapers and books in that language. Linguistic behaviour showed a certain connection with the land of birth of the respondents, their age at the time of migration, activities in Yugoslav institutions, attendance of classes in the mother tongue and contacts with Yugoslavs. At the end of the paper, the author attempts to test the received results with the model LISREL, a form of path and factor analysis developed by K. G. Jöreskog and D. Sörbom at the University of Uppsala. This model showed a relationship only between the cultural identification of young Yugoslavs and the linguistic behaviour of their parents. The author feels that this does not have to mean that education in the mother tongue (as well as the work of clubs) is not important, but rather that in its present form it does not offer much in comparison with that which the young receive in the parental home.

Keywords

cultural identity; language; youth; mother tongue; Yugoslavs; Sweden

Hrčak ID:

128085

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/128085

Publication date:

29.12.1989.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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