Heritage language learners (HLLs) are those who learn a language traditionally spoken in their family and can speak, or at least understand that language.
Here’s an example– If my Peruvian-American suitemate began learning Korean, she would simply be considered a language learner. But if I, a Korean-American whose family speaks half-English and half-Korean at home began learning Korean (something I’m actually currently doing through Rutgers classes), I’d be considered an HLL.
Even united under the vast umbrella of linguistic heritage, HLLs are further divided through their individual proficiency levels and strength of their cultural connection. HLLs are unique in that nobody starts in the same place. These learners range from completely fluent speakers who merely have trouble with spelling or academic grammar, to those who can recognize some vocabulary but can’t speak a word in their native tongue.
I learn more towards that second half of the spectrum. Although I can understand most of what’s said to me, my gaps in vocabulary prevent complete comprehension. And although I know certain grammar points, I can only manage elementary conversation before reverting back to English to convey more complex ideas.
Whether you speak one language or ten, language is a core aspect of one’s culture and identity. Slang, idioms, and perhaps even untranslatable concepts or phrases all contribute to how you perceive and react to the world around you, whether you’re conscious of it, or not. While all language learners are aware of this fact (new letters, vocabulary, and cultural differences inevitably broaden your worldview), HLLs are especially cognizant of it, and to spend a lifetime exposed to a language yet still eventually needing to formally learn it is as frustrating as it is rewarding.
It’s bittersweet to formally learn about your culture and language. There’s a mix of regret and envy when relying on external sources to learn about what others have absorbed naturally without any conscious effort, for you to actively study something that others simply treat as an inherent, unconscious part of their everyday lives.
But there’s nothing you can do about the past; all you can do is study, learn, and grow.
I want to comfortably speak with my grandparents in our native tongue without the clumsy disconnect of a language barrier. I want to instantly grasp casual conversation without needing to pause, and manually parse through my mental vocabulary list. These examples aren’t applicable to everyone, but all HLLs can empathize with the desire to improve and master the language they’re already familiar with.
Language learning is a multidimensional activity. It can be a hobby, a way to connect with others, the key to bridging the gap between other cultures and Americanism, or a complicated blend of all these factors, and more. And speaking from personal experience, I’d argue that heritage language learners know this more than anybody.