Third Culture Kids: the role of language as an indicator of cultural influence

Abstract

The rise of globalisation and multinational organisations has seen the appearance of a distinct group known as third culture kids - children who are raised in numerous foreign countries and experience a broad and pluralistic cultural development. Separation from their home culture and exposure to other cultures results in an amalgam of cultural influences which differs per child. This thesis discusses the expression of these diverse cultural influences through youth slang and the implications of third culture, as well as the factors that are most relevant in third culture and how they would affect third culture kids' use of language.