Family language policy of bilingual couples using Esperanto as a Lingua Franca

Abstract This paper examines how the use of a third language in bilingual relationships has been intertwined with the experience of childrearing. Drawing on in-depth interviews with three bilingual couples speaking Esperanto, the study focuses on their Family Language Policy (FLP) to portray a private Lingua Franca (LF) used for building a shared linguistic culture. Presenting a nuanced picture of childrearing strategies adopted by these couples, this study foregrounds parental decisions and attempts to resolve issues over communication in the family, including children. The study accentuates the importance of shared responsibility for FLP encompassing a LF use between the partners. In this study, the focus is on the trilingual context emerging as a consequence of the One-Person-One-Language (OPOL) strategy towards children, and the maintenance of Esperanto between their parents. A qualitative methodology involving the aspects of a content-based analysis has been adopted to analyze the selected interview extracts. It has been argued that couples speaking Esperanto have been very active in their efforts to raise children bilingually, while constructing their own space for their LF use.