Importance of Learning a Heritage Language
Option 2: what choice would you have made if allowed to learn your heritage language?
Other than facilitating communication among individuals, a heritage language symbolically represents a person’s identity, culture, family background, and connection to a particular ethnic group (Choi, 2013). An individual who understands and fluently speaks a heritage language maintains a strong bond with the relatives, both abroad and domestically.
A heritage language is equally a requirement for a person to understand the historical background of their communities. Ideally, every language contains exemplary methods of expressing and passing down ideas, concepts, cultural customs, and values spanning from various aspects of human life, such as religion and tradition. In most cases, only the native speakers of the heritage language could get these community ideals revealed to them.
A basic understanding of a heritage language often speeds up the process of learning a second language, which promotes bilingualism. When a comparison is generated between a monolingual and a bilingual student, it is found out that the latter has enhanced cognitive abilities than the former, monolingual. Bilinguals also seem to be more creative and aware of meta-linguistics than monolinguals. In terms of vocabulary, individuals who are proficient in two different dialects have a higher vocabulary base than those who use only a single language for interaction.
A heritage language is, in most cases, the first language that a child learns and uses for communication. It sets the pace for understanding one’s identity, culture, values, and customs. It equally promotes the acquisition of the second language. Owing to its magnified benefits, I would hardly resist to learn it if provided a chance to do so. Language is a critical component of human life irrespective of the level at which it is used for interaction.
References
Borland, H. (2008). Heritage languages and community identity building: The case of the language of lesser status. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.
Choi, E. (2013). Heritage language use among 10th-grade Asian and Hispanic students in the United States. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 15(1-2), 85+