The Economics of Language: International Analyses (Routledge Studies in the Modern World Economy)

622 Pages·2007·2.54 MB·English

by  Chiswick & Mill

The Economics of Language
This book is primarily concerned with the determinants of dominant lan-
guage proficiency among immigrants and other linguistic minorities, and the
labour market consequences of this proficiency. Chiswick and Miller present
a selection of essays from their Economics of Language research programme,
published from 1988 to 2005.
Concentrating on the United States, Canada, Australia, Israel and Bolivia,
the authors use economic theory to develop models of the determinants of
dominant language proficiency. They use econometric techniques to test these
models and estimate the magnitude of the effects. The research demonstrates
that dominant language proficiency is greater, with more exposure to the
dominant language, with greater efficiency in acquiring dominant language
skills and the greater economic benefits from proficiency. The effects of dom-
inant language proficiency on labour market outcomes are also estimated.
This book will be invaluable for anyone engaged in the contemporary
issues regarding the adjustment of immigrants in their host economy and
society, as well as students of economics, sociology and linguistics. It will
also be invaluable for those interested in bilingualism and the assimilation of
ethnic/linguistic minorities.
Barry R. Chiswick is Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois
at Chicago.
Paul W. Miller is Professor of Economics at the University of Western
Australia.
Praise for The Economics of Language
This book contains an impressive collection of essays on the economics of
language. Barry Chiswick and Paul Miller have addressed a wide range of areas on
both the determinants of language proficiency, and the consequences of language
proficiency for labour market outcomes. They offer a broad and international
perspective. The book provides careful and insightful analysis on issues relating
to language and immigration and will be a great resource for researchers and
graduate students working in this area.
Professor Christian Dustmann, Department of Economics and Centre
for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM), University College London
Barry Chiswick and Paul Miller have contributed greatly to an interdisciplinary
understanding of the mechanisms, conditions, and consequences of language
acquisition and the processes of migrant integration as a whole. Their work is a
break-through in many respects.
Professor Hartmut Esser, Department of Sociology, University of Mannheim
InThe Economics of Language: International Analyses, Barry Chiswick and Paul
Miller have put together their finest articles on the topic. The book is nicely organ-
ized around important topics. The theoretical foundations for their empirical work
come out strongly, reminding us that it is exposure, efficiency and economic incen-
tives that matter for determining language acquisition. The book will prove of
great value to researchers on language issues, showcasing in a most useful way the
contribution of economists.
Harry A. Patrinos PhD, Lead Education Economist,
The World Bank, Washington DC
Barry Chiswick is one of the most enlightened and insightful economics
researchers alive today. Together with his co-author, Paul Miller, he has discovered
the enormous importance language plays on the map of socio-economics in
terms of jobs, immigration patterns and advancement in immigrant-receiving
countries. This book is obligatory reading for all concerned with immigrants and
the socio-economic aspects of language.
Professor Adam Makkai, Professor of English and Linguistics,
University of Illinois at Chicago, Founding Executive Director of LACUS,
The Linguistic Association of Canada and the United States
For too long, economics has omitted language, whether language in general or, as
in the path breaking work of Chiswick and Miller, languages plural: how a Greek
migrant to Australia or a Polish migrant to America gets along by becoming fluent.
And linguistics too often omits the economics, provided here in lucid and cosmo-
politan bulk. Chiswick and Miller ask how much language matters to immigrant
lives. It matters a lot, though in surprising ways. The Economics of Language tells
the story of the flight from Babel with theoretical depth and quantitative precision.
Deirdre McCloskey, Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Economics,
English and History at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Routledge Studies in the Modern World Economy
1 Interest Rates and Budget Deficits 12 Capital Markets and Corporate
A study of the advanced economies Governance in Japan, Germany and
Kanhaya L. Gupta and Bakhtiar the United States
Moazzami Organizational response to market
inefficiencies
2 World Trade after the Uruguay Round
Helmut M. Dietl
Prospects and policy options for the
twenty-first century 13 Competition and Trade Policies
Edited by Harald Sander and András Coherence or conflict
Inotai Edited by Einar Hope
3 The Flow Analysis of Labour Markets 14 Rice
Edited by Ronald Schettkat The primary commodity
A. J. H. Latham
4 Inflation and Unemployment
Contributions to a new 15 Trade, Theory and Econometrics
macroeconomic approach Essays in honour of John S. Chipman
Edited by Alvaro Cencini and Mauro Edited by James C. Moore, Raymond
Baranzini Riezman, James R. Melvin
5 Macroeconomic Dimensions of Public 16 Who benefits from Privatisation?
Finance Edited by Moazzem Hossain and
Essays in honour of Vito Tanzi Justin Malbon
Edited by Mario I. Blejer and 17 Towards a Fair Global Labour Market
Teresa M. Ter-Minassian Avoiding the new slave trade
6 Fiscal Policy and Economic Reforms Ozay Mehmet, Errol Mendes and
Essays in honour of Vito Tanzi Robert Sinding
Edited by Mario I. Blejer and 18 Models of Futures Markets
Teresa M. Ter-Minassian Edited by Barry Goss
7 Competition Policy in the Global 19 Venture Capital Investment
Economy An agency analysis of UK practice
Modalities for co-operation Gavin C. Reid
Edited by Leonard Waverman,
20 Macroeconomic Forecasting
William S. Comanor and Akira Goto
A sociological appraisal
8 Working in the Macro Economy Robert Evans
A study of the US labor market
21 Multimedia and Regional Economic
Martin F. J. Prachowny
Restructuring
9 How Does Privatization Work? Edited by Hans-Joachim Braczyk,
Edited by Anthony Bennett Gerhard Fuchs and Hans-Georg Wolf
10 The Economics and Politics of 22 The New Industrial Geography
International Trade Regions, regulation and institutions
Freedom and trade: Volume II Edited by Trevor J. Barnes and
Edited by Gary Cook Meric S. Gertler
11 The Legal and Moral Aspects of 23 The Employment Impact of
International Trade Innovation
Freedom and trade: Volume III Evidence and policy
Edited by Asif Qureshi, Hillel Steiner Edited by Marco Vivarelli and Mario
and Geraint Parry Pianta
24 International Health Care Reform 37 Regionalisation of Globalised
A legal, economic and political Innovation
analysis Locations for advanced industrial
Colleen Flood development and disparities in
participation
25 Competition Policy Analysis
Edited by Ulrich Hilpert
Edited by Einar Hope
38 Gold and the Modern World Economy
26 Culture and Enterprise
Edited by MoonJoong Tcha
The development, representation and
morality of business 39 Global Economic Institutions
Don Lavoie and Emily Willem Molle
Chamlee-Wright
40 Global Governance and Financial
27 Global Financial Crises and Reforms Crises
Cases and caveats Edited by Meghnad Desai and Yahia
B.N. Ghosh Said
28 Geography of Production and 41 Linking Local and Global Economies
Economic Integration The ties that bind
Miroslav N. Jovanovic´ Edited by Carlo Pietrobelli and Arni
Sverrisson
29 Technology, Trade and Growth in
OECD Countries 42 Tax Systems and Tax Reforms in
Does specialisation matter? Europe
Valentina Meliciani Edited by Luigi Bernardi and Paola
Profeta
30 Post-Industrial Labour Markets
Profiles of North America and 43 Trade Liberalization and APEC
Scandinavia Edited by Jiro Okamoto
Edited by Thomas P. Boje and Bengt 44 Fiscal Deficits in the Pacific Region
Furaker
Edited by Akira Kohsaka
31 Capital Flows without Crisis
45 Financial Globalization and the
Reconciling capital mobility and
Emerging Market Economies
economic stability
Dilip K. Das
Edited by Dipak Dasgupta, Marc
Uzan and Dominic Wilson 46 International Labor Mobility
Unemployment and increasing
32 International Trade and National
returns to scale
Welfare
Bharati Basu
Murray C. Kemp
47 Good Governance in the Era of Global
33 Global Trading Systems at Crossroads
Neoliberalism
A post-Seattle perspective Conflict and depolitization in Latin
Dilip K. Das
America, Eastern Europe, Asia and
34 The Economics and Management of Africa
Technological Diversification Edited by Jolle Demmers, Alex E.
Edited by John Cantwell, Alfonso Fernández Jilberto & Barbara
Gambardella and Ove Granstrand Hogenboom
35 Before and Beyond EMU 48 The International Trade System
Historical lessons and future Alice Landau
prospects
49 International Perspectives on
Edited by Patrick Crowley
Temporary Work and Workers
36 Fiscal Decentralization Edited by John Burgess and Julia
Ehtisham Ahmad and Vito Tanzi Connell
50 Working Time and Workers’ 57 Financial Crises
Preferences in Industrialized Socio-economic causes and
Countries institutional context
Finding the balance Brenda Spotton Visano
Edited by Jon C. Messenger
58 Globalization and Self Determination
Is the nation-state under siege?
51 Tax Systems and Tax Reforms in New
Edited by David R. Cameron, Gustav
EU Members
Ranis and Annalisa Zinn
Edited by Luigi Bernardi, Mark
Chandler and Luca Gandullia 59 Developing Countries and the Doha
Development Round of the WTO
52 Globalization and the Nation Edited by Pitou van Dijck and Gerrit
State Faber
The impact of the IMF and the
60 Immigrant Enterprise in Europe and
World Bank
the USA
Edited by Gustav Ranis, James
Prodromos Panayiotopoulos
Vreeland and Stephen Kosak
61 Solving the Riddle of Globalization
53 Macroeconomic Policies and Poverty and Development
Reduction Edited by Manuel Agosín, David
Edited by Ashoka Mody and Bloom, George Chapelier and Jagdish
Catherine Pattillo Saigal
62 Foreign Direct Investment and the
54 Regional Monetary Policy
World Economy
Carlos J. Rodríguez-Fuentez
Ashoka Mody
55 Trade and Migration in the Modern 63 The World Economy
World A global analysis
Carl Mosk Horst Siebert
64 Production Organizations in Japanese
56 Globalisation and the Labour
Economic Development
Market
Edited by Tetsuji Okazaki
Trade, technology and less-skilled
workers in Europe and the United 65 The Economics of Language
States International analyses
Edited by Robert Anderton, Paul Barry R. Chiswick and Paul
Brenton and John Whalley W. Miller

The Economics of Language
International analyses
Barry R. Chiswick
and
Paul W. Miller
First published 2007
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2007 Barry R. Chiswick and Paul W. Miller
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library,2007.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN 0–203–96315–6 Mastere-bookISBN
ISBN10: 0–415–77181–1 (hbk)
ISBN10: 0–203–96315–6 (ebk)
ISBN13: 978–0–415–77181–8 (hbk)
ISBN13: 978–0–203–96315–9 (ebk)
Contents
Acknowledgements xv
Preface xvii
Introduction xix
PART I
The determinants of language proficiency 1
1 A model of destination-language acquisition:
Application to male immigrants in Canada 3
2 Language skill definition: A study of legalized aliens 39
3 Language choice among immigrants in a multi-lingual
destination 64
4 Language in the immigrant labor market 78
5 Parents and children talk: English language
proficiency within immigrant families 137
WITH YEW LIANG LEE
PART II
The effects of language proficiency on labor market
outcomes 165
6 Immigrant earnings: Language skills, linguistic
concentrations and the business cycle 167
7 Schooling, literacy, numeracy and labour market success 197
WITH YEW LIANG LEE
8 Language skills and earnings among legalized aliens 223