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.
Read more about this topic: Heritage Language
Famous quotes containing the words proficiency in, proficiency, heritage and/or languages:
“The best chess-player in Christendom may be little more than the best player of chess; but proficiency in whist implies capacity for success in all these more important undertakings where mind struggles with mind.”
—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1845)
“The best chess-player in Christendom may be little more than the best player of chess; but proficiency in whist implies capacity for success in all these more important undertakings where mind struggles with mind.”
—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1845)
“It seems to me that upbringings have themes. The parents set the theme, either explicitly or implicitly, and the children pick it up, sometimes accurately and sometimes not so accurately.... The theme may be “Our family has a distinguished heritage that you must live up to” or “No matter what happens, we are fortunate to be together in this lovely corner of the earth” or “We have worked hard so that you can have the opportunities we didn’t have.””
—Calvin Trillin (20th century)
“It is time for dead languages to be quiet.”
—Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972)