Test of a Nonlinear Relationship between Linguistic Acculturation and Ethnic Identification

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Abstract
Following a review of the literature concerning the relationship between acculturation (acquisition of a dominant culture) and ethnic identification (retention of culture of origin), the authors propose that linguistic acculturation is nonlinearly related to ethnic identity. An empirical study was conducted to test this relationship between linguistic acculturation and ethnic identification using data gathered from multiple studies investigating four different ethnic groups in Eastern Canada over a period of 7 years. Regression analysis results indicate that the two underlying dimensions of ethnicity are related and that the postulated function exhibits an excellent fit, thus providing support for the proposition.