Language has always been the core of how I saw myself helping people. However, it wasn’t until working with youth at a Portland non-profit in 2017 that I encountered a phenomenon that changed the course of my focus: language brokering. Language brokering is an experience when a bilingual child translates for their monolingual caregivers in situations such as doctor appointments, school meetings, bank visits, and so much more. Witnessing children language broker first-hand sparked a passion in me that I knew needed more dedicated time. I am deeply interested in how this experience affects a broker’s executive function, language acquisition, and mental health. I believe the study of language brokering has the potential to change the way we research bilingualism in general. And I agree with researcher López (2020) when they state, “The study of language brokering in cognitive and linguistic contexts presents a unique opportunity for researchers to better understand how a particular informal language practice—that is pervasive for much of the language minority population in the world—could have illuminating and enduring results” (p. 14).
With the Nattinger Scholarship, I now have the means to further explore these interests, passions, and possibilities in a relatively unknown field of research. I consider myself extremely blessed to have the opportunity to pursue my Masters in TESOL at Portland State University while simultaneously dedicating time to research language brokering. I’ve always known that linguistics would be a huge key to helping people, and now I have the direction to facilitate my passion in a more meaningful and purposeful way. I am so excited to dive into this research and see what we will unlock together.
Reference
López, B. G. (2020). Incorporating language brokering experiences into bilingualism research: An examination of informal translation practices. Language and Linguistics Compass, 14 (1), e12361.