Meaning of heritage speaker | Babel Free

Definitions

Someone who speaks a heritage language (“a minority language that one acquires as a first language but uses and/or is exposed to less later in life”).

Equivalents

Examples

“At UCLA, which is emerging as a leader in the field, separate⟳ classes already are available for heritage speakers of Chinese, Korean, Russian and Spanish.”

“Kagan's survey of California college students found many "heritage speakers" wished to study⟳ their home language at school to connect⟳ with their culture, build⟳ their literacy, and strengthen their bonds with relatives.”

“She designed a class for heritage speakers at UCLA that advanced them to high-level coursework in one year by building on what they know⟳ rather than harping on their deficiencies.”

“As a kid, my Saturday class was populated by students like⟳ me, with parents who spoke Mandarin exclusively at home. But the demographics of Mandarin learners today run⟳ the gamut from heritage speakers to those without a familial connection but with other motivations to learn⟳ (an affinity for the culture, an appreciation of Asia's growing importance in the world's economy).”

CEFR level