Overview:
Heritage language is vital for preserving cultural identity, fostering intergenerational connections, and combating global language loss through the promotion of multilingualism.
Language loss poses a significant threat to the preservation of culture and indigenous knowledge worldwide. It is estimated that nearly 40% of the world’s 7000 languages are endangered. When a language is lost, it results in the erasure of cultural and traditional knowledge along with it. The growing trend of multilingualism in various parts of the world may be a sign of hope. In Europe, for example, 80 percent of young people can hold a conversation in a foreign language in addition to their native language, an increase of 5% since 2012. Multilingualism can be a solution to language loss by preserving heritage languages.
Multilingualism can be a solution to language loss by preserving heritage languages.
Dr. Su Yeong Kim
Heritage languages are spoken in a given community but are not the country’s dominant language. They are often learned at home through informal settings, while formal settings focus on the dominant language of the country. They are languages that are deeply connected to people’s cultural identities. While not official or widely spoken, they have strong significance to the communities that speak the language.
These languages foster a sense of belonging and identity in the speakers through their rich cultural heritage. Oftentimes, immigrant communities use heritage languages as a means to preserve their identities and culture in foreign lands. Beyond these, heritage languages offer cognitive benefits, especially when speakers are multilingual. Sometimes, heritage languages are taught in more formal settings by groups that are trying to impart vital cultural messaging to young people. This is often seen in migrant communities where heritage language weekend schools are created or semi-formal set-ups, such as cultural centers, to learn and teach the languages.
The Importance of Heritage Languages for Families
Heritage languages offer a unique opportunity for strengthening family bonds by bridging generational gaps, allowing the young to communicate with older generations who may not speak the dominant language. They serve as a vital link between children, parents, and grandparents.
Additionally, the transmission of traditions and rituals facilitates a deeper understanding of the culture. Through heritage languages, family history is passed through stories, anecdotes, and values. They connect members of the family and give them a sense of belonging through shared history.
Notably, heritage languages offer opportunities to bring families together through shared meaningful activities that are language-dependent, such as cooking and cultural events such as weddings or other celebrations. Through language, family members can find a source of pride in their shared cultural identity. They can also enjoy the practical benefits of heritage languages, such as ease of communication in intergenerational settings.
The Profound Link Between Heritage Language and Identity
There is a strong connection between heritage languages and an individual’s sense of identity. Language carries worldviews, culture, and customs in a community. These factors influence how societies interact with and perceive the outside world. Preservation of heritage languages keeps individuals anchored to the customs, values, and beliefs that have been passed down over the years. Additionally, through heritage languages, forms of art can be enjoyed in their original form, unskewed or diluted by translation. This can include cultural expressions such as folklore, music, literature, and art.
This strong link to culture can foster a sense of identity, especially for those in diaspora communities. Speaking or retaining a heritage language helps people deal with the challenges of belonging to multiple cultures and strengthens their ties to their heritage. It helps people develop a more complex and multidimensional sense of who they are, where language serves to embrace and express cultural identity rather than to eradicate it.
Notably, heritage languages offer benefits that extend beyond cultural significance. Learning heritage languages can offer cognitive and academic benefits. Research shared by UNESCO in Mozambique indicates that learners who study in multilingual settings have better academic outcomes because the learning environment is more inclusive.
Research shared by UNESCO in Mozambique indicates that learners who study in multilingual settings have better academic outcomes because the learning environment is more inclusive.
Additionally, multilingualism has been linked to improved problem-solving and enhanced cognitive flexibility, thereby enriching both personal development and educational outcomes. It gives one an advantage in global communication and their career.
Challenges and Strategies for Heritage Language Preservation
Unfortunately, the process of preserving heritage language comes with challenges. The greatest threat to heritage languages is dominant languages. These are official or widely spoken languages that dominate specific language landscapes. Dominant languages are often prioritized in media, education, and public life, often leaving heritage languages out. This leads to an intergenerational gap between the young and older generations. Younger people gradually lose proficiency and understanding of their heritage language. In some cases, young people do not get to learn the languages at all.
The decline of the heritage language is further exacerbated by the lack of formal education opportunities, limited accessible learning resources, and inadequate institutional support. Additionally, negative perceptions and attitudes towards minority languages as ‘less useful’ often lead to shame, which stops people from passing down or learning the languages.
Despite these challenges, there is hope. Some strategies can be employed to effectively support heritage language preservation. One of the key approaches is encouraging intergenerational dialogue within families and communities, such as speaking the language at home and during cultural events such as celebrations.
Additionally, supporting efforts that are community-based to teach heritage languages in formal and semi-formal settings would go a long way in legitimizing these languages. Moreover, technology can be used to advocate and promote heritage languages through apps, media, and other online platforms. These technological advancements, combined with advocacy for inclusive language, can help further preserve heritage languages and create environments where multilingualism thrives.
The Value of Heritage Language
The value of heritage languages cannot be overstated. They hold significance in both personal and cultural contexts, serving as a source of strong familial bonds and a deep sense of identity. As languages continue to go extinct, we have a chance to change the tide by paying attention to heritage languages. By learning these languages, we can establish connections with our roots while preserving deep cultural aspects of knowledge across a range of fields.
Dr. Su Yeong Kim is a Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. A leading figure in research on immigrant families and adolescent development, she earned the honor of being a Fellow on multiple national psychology associations, and is the Editor of the Journal of Research on Adolescence. Dr. Kim has authored and published more than 160 works, and is recognized with Division 45 of American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Career Contributions to Research Award. Her research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and other bodies, covers bilingualism, language brokering, and cultural stressors in immigrant-origin youth. Dr. Kim is an enthusiastic mentor and community advocate, as well as a member of UT’s Provost’s Distinguished Leadership Service Academy.
