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Intergenerational Transmission of Language Capital and Economic Outcomes

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  • Casey, Teresa

    () (London School of Economics)

  • Dustmann, Christian

    () (University College London)

Abstract

This paper investigates the intergenerational transmission of language capital amongst immigrants, and the effect of language deficiencies on the economic performance of second generation immigrants. Using a long panel that oversamples immigrants, we can follow their children after they have left the parental home. Our results show a sizeable significant association between parents’ and children’s fluency, conditional on parental and family characteristics. We find that language deficiencies of the second generation are associated with poorer labour market outcomes for females only. Finally, we find a strong relationship between parental fluency and female labour market outcomes, which works through the child’s language proficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Casey, Teresa & Dustmann, Christian, 2007. "Intergenerational Transmission of Language Capital and Economic Outcomes," IZA Discussion Papers 3074, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp3074
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    Cited by:

    1. Sweetman, A. & van Ours, J.C., 2014. "Immigration : What About the Children and Grandchildren?," Discussion Paper 2014-009, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    2. Nicolas Hérault & Guyonne Kalb, 2016. "Intergenerational correlation of labor market outcomes," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 231-249, March.
    3. Simone Schüller, 2015. "Parental ethnic identity and educational attainment of second-generation immigrants," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 28(4), pages 965-1004, October.
    4. Cahit Guven & Asadul Islam, 2015. "Age at Migration, Language Proficiency, and Socioeconomic Outcomes: Evidence From Australia," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(2), pages 513-542, April.
    5. Florencia Lopez-Boo, 2008. "How Do Crises Affect Schooling Decisions? Evidence from Changing Labor Market Opportunities and a Policy Experiment," Research Department Publications 4602, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    6. Helena Skyt Nielsen & Beatrice Schindler Rangvid, 2012. "The impact of parents’ years since migration on children’s academic achievement," IZA Journal of Migration, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 1(1), pages 1-23, December.
    7. Bönke, Timm & Neidhöfer, Guido, 2014. "Parental background matters: Intergenerational mobility and assimilation of Italian immigrants in Germany," Discussion Papers 2014/21, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    8. Natalia Winder & Hugo R. Ñopo, 2008. "Ethnicity and Human Capital Accumulation in Urban Mexico," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 1636, Inter-American Development Bank.
    9. Deborah Cobb-Clark & Trong-Ha Nguyen, 2010. "Immigration Background and the Intergenerational Correlation in Education," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2010n09, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    10. Dustmann, Christian & Glitz, Albrecht, 2011. "Migration and Education," Handbook of the Economics of Education, Elsevier.
    11. Maresa Sprietsma, 2013. "Discrimination in grading: experimental evidence from primary school teachers," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 523-538, August.
    12. repec:taf:edecon:v:25:y:2017:i:1:p:84-111 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Gabin Langevin & David Masclet & Fabien Moizeau & Emmanuel Peterle, 2017. "Ethnic gaps in educational attainment and labor-market outcomes: evidence from France," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 84-111, January.
    14. Hugo Nopo & Natalia Winder, 2008. "Etnicidad y acumulación de capital humano en México Urbano," Research Department Publications 4620, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    15. Zhang, Wei & Hong, Seunghye & Takeuchi, David T. & Mossakowski, Krysia N., 2012. "Limited English proficiency and psychological distress among Latinos and Asian Americans," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(6), pages 1006-1014.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    human capital; language proficiency of immigrants; intergenerational transmission;

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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