Do you also switch to Danish when you’re out with the kids?

Recently I was in a REMA 1000 supermarket, and at the entrance I overheard something that is very common among parents whose first language isn't Danish. A mother was on her way into the store with her children. She was speaking to them in their heritage language, but switched to Danish the moment they were inside the store. I could hear that she wasn't very fluent in Danish, yet she still chose to switch to Danish. Why?

This kind of observation is well known within sociolinguistics and is called situational code-switching. It's when the context causes you to change which language you speak. I didn't ask the mother why she switched to Danish (that would be very rude and intrusive, in my view), but sociolinguistic research points to several possible reasons:

Linguistic insecurity and integration: Most immigrants just want to fit into the broader community. There's a sense that one "ought to" speak Danish in public spaces. The harsh tone toward immigrants in public debate may also contribute to many people wanting to show that they are a "good" immigrant. So they switch to Danish when they walk into a REMA 1000.

Social control: In Denmark, we often hear about social control within immigrant communities, but there is also social control in public spaces. The mother is aware that she has an "audience" when she is out of the home. In my own research, I have interviewed parents who have received unwanted comments and remarks such as: "In Denmark, we speak Danish!" Even if such experiences are relatively rare, a single unpleasant episode can stick with you. This is why some choose to switch to Danish to avoid new confrontations (not the least to spare their children from it).

(A side note: I've also heard from some Danes that it's a bit rude to speak a language in public that others can't understand. I can actually understand this point, as it seems to be about the inclusion of one's fellow residents. But I would like to point out that I have personally met plenty of Danish tourists in Vancouver and Calgary who chatter away in Danish, even though they speak fluent English.)

A wish to teach their children Danish: Many parents with another heritage language also want to help their children acquire Danish. Perhaps they've heard from professionals that their child's Danish is "delayed" or inadequate. Children with non-Danish first languages are overrepresented in the groups flagged for requiring Danish language intervention under the national Danish language assessment programme in kindergarten and grade 0. So parents can often be left with a feeling that their children are behind. In that light, parents may reason that it makes good sense for them to switch to Danish now and then to strengthen their kids’ Danish skills.

The thing is, there probably isn't a single explanation for the mother's code-switch. It could easily be a blend of all three, if not more.

Consequences for children's heritage language

Seen from a heritage-language perspective, this pattern is not trivial. When the family's language is consistently relegated to the private sphere, while Danish becomes the publicly legitimate language, it sends children a powerful signal about which languages carry high status. This can both reduce their exposure to the heritage language and shape their perception of its value. Both can matter for how well they end up mastering the language later on.

It is parents' human right to pass on their language to their children

It's often said in professional circles that a strong mother tongue makes it easier for children to learn Danish. This is used as an argument to legitimise why we should encourage parents to speak their own language. I may be a bit radical on this point, but I don't care for that argument. It's true enough that a strong mother tongue, with the well-stimulated cognitive skills that come with it, supports a child in learning a new language. But the most important reason parents should pass their heritage language on to their children is that it is their human right, and that it means so much for the child's later identity and connection to their heritage.

Parents must (unfortunately) be resilient in public spaces

In my private practice, I have met many parents who find it hard to use their own language in public. They feel the implicit pressure to speak Danish. I always tell them that I understand the feeling they're sitting with, but that they need to practise being resilient in the face of social control. Their reluctance to use their own language in public is often deeply bound up with a fear of unwanted looks and comments. But others' ignorance should not come at the expense of their children's development. At the same time, we help enlighten the world about the importance of heritage languages when we dare to tell people why we speak our own language with our own children. I also tell them to keep in mind that your average Dane is positively disposed towards it. This can be easy to overlook once you've had unpleasant experiences.

Want to read more about how to strengthen children's heritage language? I've gathered a bit of knowledge and inspiration here.