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The intergenerational transmission of language skill.

Authors :
Sullivan, Alice
Moulton, Vanessa
Fitzsimons, Emla
Source :
British Journal of Sociology; Mar2021, Vol. 72 Issue 2, p207-232, 26p
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between parents' and children's language skills for a nationally representative birth cohort born in the United Kingdom--the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS). We investigate both socioeconomic and ethnic differentials in children's vocabulary scores and the role of differences in parents' vocabulary scores in accounting for these. We find large vocabulary gaps between highly educated and less educated parents, and between ethnic groups. Nevertheless, socioeconomic and ethnic gaps in vocabulary scores are far wider among the parents than among their children. Parental vocabulary is a powerful mediator of inequalities in offspring's vocabulary scores at age 14, and also a powerful driver of change in language skills between the ages of five and 14. Once we account for parental vocabulary, no ethnic minority group of young people has a negative "vocabulary gap" compared to whites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00071315
Volume :
72
Issue :
2
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
British Journal of Sociology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
150484815
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.12780