You Say The Same Word In English:”Exploring Translanguaging Practices In Saudi Children’s Familial Interactions

Abstract

For Arabic-English bi/multilinguals, language development involves navigating not two but three distinct linguistic repertoires. This study investigates the translanguaging practices of two Arabic-English bilingual Saudi children living in a U.S.-based household. Drawing on ethnographic observations, audio recordings, field notes, and semi-structured interviews—and guided by Canagarajah’s translingual strategies and Lave and Wenger’s communities of practice—the research explores how these children navigate and negotiate their linguistic repertoires in everyday familial discourse. Specifically, it examines how their use of code-switching (CS) and code-mixing (CM) functions as intentional, context-sensitive strategies for meaning-making and social participation. The children’s interactions reflect three interrelated themes: hybrid use of translingual strategies, CS and CM as collaborative tools for constructing meaning, and a developing reflexivity regarding language choice. Their language use varied systematically according to topic, setting, and interlocutor, demonstrating strategic awareness. For instance, Arabic was primarily used with adults and for culturally embedded topics, while English predominated with peers and school-related conversations. These patterns suggest a high degree of metalinguistic awareness and agency in managing multilingual discourse. The study challenges deficit views of language mixing by illustrating how CS and CM serve as expressions of identity and tools for navigating bilingual realities. By highlighting how children use envoicing, recontextualization, and interactional negotiation, it underscores the fluidity and creativity of their language practices. These findings emphasize the importance of recognizing translanguaging as a valuable communicative resource rather than linguistic interference. The study contributes to sociolinguistic research by calling for broader recognition of translingualism within Arabic bilingual contexts and urges further exploration of how institutional language ideologies may shape or restrict these practices in educational settings. Future research might examine how such strategies evolve in institutional settings, where dominant language ideologies may constrain translingual practices.