Proficiency in Heritage Languages
Heritage learners have a fluent command of the dominant language and are comfortable using it in formal settings, due to their exposure to the language through formal education. Their command of the heritage language, however, varies widely. Some heritage learners may lose some fluency in the first language after beginning formal education in the dominant language. Others may use the heritage language consistently at home and with family, but receive minimal to no formal training in the heritage language and thus may struggle with literacy skills or using it in broader settings outside of the home.
Some heritage speakers explicitly study the language to gain additional proficiency. The learning trajectories of heritage speakers are markedy different from the trajectories of secongue ners with little or no previous expsure to a target language. For instance, heritage speakers tend to have no phonetic or phonological difficulties with the heritage language's sound system.
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—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1845)
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—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1845)
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