ENGLISH LANGUAGE ATTRITION AMONG BILINGUAL CHILDREN RETURNING FROM ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRY

Abstract

Born in English speaking country for the children whose parents are not the English native can give excellent opportunity to be able to learn English as the first language. Yet, this phenomenon interestingly will bring a problem when they no longer live in English speaking countries which use English as the first language. Children will experience the losing ability on their English as their first language when they start to learn their second language. This study aims to reveal the English skills ability which experienced the attrition, the reasons behind the English language attrition, and the parents’ role to maintain their children’s English language. This is a qualitative research by using interview and observation techniques.  There are three informants named NH (7 years), KH (4 years), and RM (9 years). The result shows that language attrition in the English language can be divided into three types such as active skills attrition in writing and speaking, lexical attrition in vocabularies, and grammar attrition. All these English language attrition are influenced by the second language dominant and the second language higher level of mastery. Moreover, the parents help their children to maintain their English ability by speaking full English and giving an English lesson through formal education and private course. All the evidence here may be the gentle warning for the effect of losing ability in English as the first language in view of moving to a non-English speaking country.