Why Heritage Languages Decline
A heritage language is a language that is spoken in the home, yet is different from the language used in the local community. An example of a heritage language transmission is a family that speaks Russian in the home, since the parents are from Russia, and lives in Denver, Colorado, where the local community speaks English.
Heritage languages are transmitted from one generation to the next. Often times grandparents or parents will speak the heritage language to children in the home. In some situations, children may have their heritage language experience bolstered by having a school, religious, or other outreach program that teaches the language to them. In addition, children may have friends that also speak the heritage language. In other situations, children may not know anyone outside of their family that uses the heritage language.
Research suggests that heritage language use often declines for a number of reasons. First, parents and grandparents may not have sufficient time to instruct the child in the heritage language, especially as the child ages and spends more and more time outside of the home. Second, the parents and or child, may be very focused on assimilating to the dominant language and may opt to use their heritage language less or not at all. Third, parents and or the child may feel that they will be discriminated against within their community if they use the heritage language and thus avoid using it.
When people use their heritage language less, they may eventually fell less comfortable with it. Some heritage language speakers report feeling embarrassed about their heritage language skills and thus avoid using it. Others report that they feel they lack the skills to write or communicate at a high level in their heritage language.
Regardless of the reason, when people lose fluency in their heritage language they may also lose a connection to its culture and people. They may feel less able to communicate with family from the heritage nation or feel less connected to the customs and history of the nation.
There are ongoing efforts which focus on maintaining the intergenerational transmission of heritage languages. These efforts are often spearheaded by school districts, universities, religious groups and cultural groups. To find out more about these programs, look in your community for local options or visit the UCLA National Heritage Language Resource Center to learn how to advocate for resources to protect heritage languages.
Photo Credit: Jeniffer Araújo on Unspalsh.
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