Maintaining heritage language
Starts with
You
We work to protect heritage languages through archiving personal stories about connections to these languages.
A heritage language is more than just a means of communication; it serves as a connection to a culture, a history, and its people. When we lose our heritage language, we lose our connection to our culture. We aim to protect the connection to these languages and the rich and varied cultures they represent.
What is a heritage language and why are they declining?
A heritage language is a language that is spoken in the home, but is not the dominant language in the region. A heritage language may also be called a home language. The United Nations reports that heritage and indigenous languages are declining, with some in danger of becoming extinct. The decline in the use of a heritage language occurs when it is spoken less as people try to assimilate to a new culture and language.
People may become disconnected to their heritage language for a variety of reasons. For some there may be a conscious choice to assimilate to the dominant language that surrounds them and to let go of their heritage language. Others report losing their heritage language as they have fewer people to speak with. Over time, they may feel less comfortable conversing in their heritage language and may eventually be unable to speak it with confidence. If parents speak the heritage language less, their offspring may grow up feeling less connected to the language and will be less likely to teach their children the language. In these ways heritage languages use can decline.
Take Action
The Heritage Language Story Project seeks participants who are heritage language speakers. This means that one has grown up in a home where a language other than the dominant language of the region was spoken. Some may speak the heritage language fluently, others may speak only a little bit of the language, and others may only understand some parts of the language. Participants are asked to respond to a set of questions about their heritage language via video or in writing. The responses are then shared on this website so others can learn from the stories. The amount of time it takes to participate in the study is estimated at 10 to 15 minutes.