The Greek Language in Diaspora: Perceptions Across Three Generations of Greek Australia Woman

This paper will discuss the experience of language in diaspora – particularly it will elucidate the perception (both visual and verbal) across three generations of Greek Australian woman living in the diaspora community of Melbourne, Australia. Discussion will focus on the lived experience of three generations of woman who were interviewed in either Greek or English by an experienced qualitative researcher who held both an insider and outsider position within this community. The aim was to consider the issue of language maintenance and its significance. Findings show that, despite the decades that have passed since migration, identity loss has not occurred among this sample of Greek people in Melbourne. Common phenomena, such as translanguaging and the nature of bilingualism in this population, are also considered. This emphasizes the importance of language maintenance in this community and its significance in the identity perceptions of its members. Keywords: heritage language, Greek, language maintenance, diaspora