The Cambridge Handbook of Heritage Languages and Linguistics

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Heritage Language ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
Exciting Field ◽  
Heritage Languages ◽  
Linguistic Research ◽  
Language Knowledge ◽  
Theoretical Linguistics ◽  
And Linguistics

Heritage languages are minority languages learned in a bilingual environment. These include immigrant languages, aboriginal or indigenous languages and historical minority languages. In the last two decades, heritage languages have become central to many areas of linguistic research, from bilingual language acquisition, education and language policies, to theoretical linguistics. Bringing together contributions from a team of internationally renowned experts, this Handbook provides a state-of-the-art overview of this emerging area of study from a number of different perspectives, ranging from theoretical linguistics to language education and pedagogy. Presenting comprehensive data on heritage languages from around the world, it covers issues ranging from individual aspects of heritage language knowledge to broader societal, educational, and policy concerns in local, global and international contexts. Surveying the most current issues and trends in this exciting field, it is essential reading for graduate students and researchers, as well as language practitioners and other language professionals.

scholarly journals QS Subject Focus Summit 2020 on Modern Languages and Linguistics: Languages and migration in a globalized world

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-316
Author(s):  
Yulia N. Ebzeeva
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Endangered Languages ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Multicultural Environment ◽  
Linguistic Research ◽  
Computer Technologies ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Globalized World

This article summarizes some of the results of the first QS Subject Focus Summit on Linguistics and Modern Languages held jointly with the RUDN University on December 15-17, 2020. It provides rationale for the choice of venue of this linguistic forum and analyzes the most relevant topics of discussion, including interdisciplinarity in modern linguistic research, comparative studies of languages and cultures, and intercultural and cross-cultural communication. Participants explored the topics as diverse as the role of linguistics in developing artificial intelligence systems and application of artificial intelligence in linguistic research, the dynamics of languages in minority situations and the efforts in preserving endangered languages. They dwelt on the current state of translation studies and discussed prospects for their future in view of advances in computer technologies, and many others. The articles included in this issue and authored by the Summit participants clearly show that language has become an object of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary studies. Moreover, the interdisciplinary research paradigm is manifested not only in the convergence of linguistics with other areas of humanities, but also with sciences. This article provides a brief overview of the contributions which present major paradigms of modern linguistics. It highlights the importance of applying computer technologies in linguistic research and emphasizes the necessity to modify language policies in order to preserve minority languages and meet the needs of language education in a multilingual and multicultural environment.

scholarly journals Language Mixings in Heritage Language Education: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-36
Author(s):  
Yizhe Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Heritage Languages ◽  
Heritage Language Education ◽  
Heritage Language Learning ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Language Mixing

The overarching research question for this paper is what work has been done on heritage languages worldwide through a language mixing lens. Given the increasing research interest in this topic and the scarcity of previous secondary studies, a systematic review was conducted on the empirical data at the intersection of language mixing and heritage language education, in and out of schools. Thematic analysis and frequency analysis were carried out on qualified empirical sources gathered from Scopus, Web of Science, and Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA). After sharing backgrounds on heritage language education and language mixing with relative terms and perspectives, the paper presents findings from the review based on 23 peer-reviewed empirical journal articles, focusing specifically on three aspects: (a) the main theoretical approaches and definitions employed for language mixing; (b) the characterization of language mixing for instruction and its impacts on heritage language education; (c) the parent and community language mixing activities for children’s heritage language learning. The limitations of the existing studies and the implications for educators and researchers are later discussed. It is hoped that this article will further our knowledge on this topic and provide pointed implications for future education and research.

“It is the hardest to keep”: Kurdish as a heritage language in the United States

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 (237) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaffer Sheyholislami ◽  
Amir Sharifi
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Heritage Languages ◽  
The Us ◽  
First And Second Generation

AbstractThis article situates the Kurdish language within the diasporic context of the United States, and explores the roles that the language plays for the community. This is investigated through a mixed method encompassing literature and media reviews, interviews with community members and leaders, and a survey conducted among the Kurds in Southern California. The findings show that both first and second generation Kurds see their language not only as a symbol of their cultural identity and survival but a means of building and maintaining relations with each other, with other Kurds in the US, with relatives in the homeland, and also with their heritage. Nevertheless, members of the second generation think that language constitutes one of the most challenging cultural heritage elements to keep for many linguistic, socio-economic, cultural, and political reasons. The article concludes that there are no easy ways of maintaining minority languages like Kurdish much less transmitting them to future generations. The prospect for a promising future seems highly unlikely as long as heritage languages in the US are perceived as personal choices only, and the state does not assume responsibility for their maintenance let alone their transmission to future generations of newer immigrants.

Language Variation in Mandarin as a Heritage Language: Subject Personal Pronouns

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-29
Author(s):  
Xinye Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Social Factors ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Usage Pattern ◽  
Heritage Learners ◽  
Personal Pronouns ◽  
Heritage Languages ◽  
Language Program ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
First Languages ◽  
L1 And L2

Abstract Because of limited language input, different dominant languages, and learners’ differing backgrounds, the acquisition of heritage languages is distinguished from the acquisition of L1 and L2. Few studies of Chinese as a Heritage Language (CHL) have explored whether students can acquire native-like sociolinguistic competence and language-specific variables with educational input. Based on a sociolinguistic variationist perspective, this study investigates the acquisition of variation between null and overt subject personal pronouns (SPP s) by heritage learners in an undergraduate-level Mandarin program. A total of 11,970 tokens were collected through classroom observation, sociolinguistic interviews, and narratives. Measuring mixed-effects logistic regression with Rbrul (Johnson, 2009), results show that the overall usage pattern of SPP s by CHL students largely resembled that in the input provided by the language program. Results also demonstrate that linguistic constraints including coreference, person and number, and verb type, and social factors such as discourse context, first languages, course level, and age of arrival had a significant effect on SPP expression by CHL learners. Implications for CHL development and variationist studies in heritage languages are discussed.

scholarly journals Implementation of the meta-subject approach in the process of foreign language training of future teachers at a pedagogical university

2021 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-202
Author(s):  
A. Kabbassova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Foreign Language Education ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
General Strategy ◽  
Future Teachers ◽  
Learning Skills ◽  
Language Knowledge ◽  
Second Year

A future teacher who speaks foreign language is in more demand by school today than ever before. Pedagogical universities change their activities to meet the school educational system’s requirements. The need of English for future teachers is determined by the necessity of subject activity. In the process of teaching the teacher not only stimulates the mastering of the basics of science, but also creates the opportunity to develop learning skills, critically realize their experience of foreign language usage. First and second year students, while learning foreign language, improve their speaking skills, learn to use the best way to build their learning activity. The goal of the next step of professional training is to master teaching methods, which will let the students use their foreign language knowledge. Teaching English on the basis of meta-subject approach principles will allow to solve these problems. The article is devoted to the analysis of solving the problems of foreign language education of future teachers. The author suggests using the meta-subject potential of a foreign language as a general strategy of foreign language education. The experimental pedagogical work carried out at the Pavlodar Pedagogical University allows us to draw a conclusion about the effectiveness of the proposed ideas.

scholarly journals The Importance of Foreign Language Education

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarka Hubackova
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Foreign Language Education ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
German Language ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Language Knowledge ◽  
Ways Of Life

Foreign language knowledge is a basis of understanding other cultures, different ways of life and of intercultural communication. What is more, foreign languages offer an advantage when it comes to getting job, they facilitate travelling; they open the possibilities to study abroad. The European Union encourages and supports foreign language teaching and learning.  European Union documents are made available multilingully, so that they becme pervious to all citizens of member countries. Foreign language education has a long- tradition in the Czech school system. At its disposal, it has l sophisticated methods. They are continuously modernized and harmonized in accordance with recommendations, documents and projects concerning the language policy of European Council and Commission. The academic community gets the familiarization with them by means of national and international activities.       Keywords: Blended learning; Foreign language; Language education; German language 

scholarly journals Teaching Tamazight in Mostaganem: Challenges and Perspectives

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasmina Sakina BELKHIR ◽  
Bakhta ABDELHAY
Keyword(s):  
Research Methods ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Education Planning

Teachers are crucial agents of any language education planning as they can make it succeed or fail. In this article, we intend to provide state of the art, concerning teaching Tamazight in Algeria through a case study. We conducted research in Mostaganem city where Tamazight is introduced in 9 primary schools. This investigation aims to study the role of Tamazight teachers’ entry- profiles and the challenges they are facing. We collect data by employing questionnaires and interviews. These research methods help to give insightful information about the reality, needs, and challenges of Tamazight’s instructors. The findings reveal that educators need training, and involvement of specialists to arrange the contexts where Tamazight is being introduced (attitudes). So, more efforts should be spent to improve the situation for achieving the objectives behind the formulation of the Tamazight policy.

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