Identity formation in bimodal-bilingual children of Deaf adults (Codas)

Abstract

This study concerns adult Codas, or hearing children of deaf1, signing parents. They are of significant interest to language researchers as bimodal bilinguals who grew up in a multifaceted bicultural environment. The study is based on interviews with 12 Coda adults in Sweden (aged 18–50 years). The interviews were translated, transcribed, and coded for thematic analysis. The analysis draws on the theoretical concepts of social identity and investment proposed by Norton (Norton Peirce, B. (1995). Social identity, investment, and language learning. TESOL Quarterly, 1(29), 9–31 https://faculty.educ.ubc.ca/norton/Norton%201995%20p.pdf.). The main findings indicate that for these Codas, the everyday experience of bimodal bilingualism acts as a driving force in the formation of social identities, fostering linguistic, cultural, and social awareness, which, in turn, influences how individuals invest in their languages and cultures.