Language and Acculturation: The Case of Russian Speakers in Latvia and Finland

Abstract

This study examines the acculturation of Russian speakers in Latvia and Finland by comparing their cultural (dis)involvement and preference (Carlson & Güler 2018) with their self-reported language proficiency and use. Using survey data collected from both countries (N = 224), the study finds a correlation between Russian speakers’ everyday language use and their level of acculturation. The comparative results showed that respondents using more local languages show higher Cultural Involvement (CI) compared to those who use English or Russian. Beyond language proficiency, what mattered was the actual use of the language as the local language used outside the home was significantly related to low CP scores.

Keywords

• acculturation
• cultural involvement
• cultural preference
• diaspora
• finland
• latvia
• language proficiency
• migration
• russian speaker