Genesee 1991

Genesee, Fred. 1991. "Review of 'Mirror of language: The debate on bilingualism' by Hakuta 1986." In Minami and Kennedy 1991. (Reprint from Genesee 1987.) Interest level: academic.

Background is the dramatic influx of non-English speaking immigrants to the United States that resulted in public debate concerning certain aspects of bilingualism. Demographic changes raised many issues.

Hakuta writes about the many aspects of bilingualism and how related research is conducted, interpreted, and influenced by social factors such as public policy. Hakuta reviews research issues currently contended by the scientific community. Informs the public of findings pertinent to the debate from an interdisciplinary perspective, integrating bilingualism with social history.

Genesee suggests that possible gaps in coverage are unavoidable when reaching a broad range of readers.

Hakuta concludes from past and present research that bilingualism and second language learning is not inherently problematic.

• Bibliography module: Genesee 1991
• In overview module: Bibliography (Literacy): G
• In modular book: Bibliography (Literacy), by Doris Gallemore, Trudi C. Hunt, Jeanne Swanson, and Stephen L. Walter
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 28 June 1999

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