Abstract
This article presents the results of an analysis of reported interlocutors in Spanish in a group of heritage speakers (HS), in three communities of the US Midwest. Participants were college-aged bilinguals developing their own personal and professional networks outside the direct influence of their parents. Responses are compared with those from two control groups: college-aged native speakers (NS) and college-aged second-language learners (L2). Seventy-seven per cent of HS reported speaking primarily in Spanish with 4–5 interlocutors on the week of the study. HS and NS reported more interactions in Spanish with older relatives, and more interactions with peers outside their family. Little to no interactions in Spanish were reported by either group with speakers younger than themselves. L2 participants reported more interactions with younger individuals. Sixty-nine per cent of all interlocutors reported by HS were their relatives. The mother was the most common relative with whom participants reported speaking in Spanish. This suggests that the previously documented importance of the mother for intergenerational transmission of a minority language extends into young adulthood by providing opportunities for use and motivation for maintenance.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 386-403 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 7 2015 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Latino
- Midwest
- Spanish
- bilingualism
- heritage speakers
- language maintenance
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cultural Studies
- Education
- Linguistics and Language
Cite this
Heritage speakers of Spanish in the US Midwest : reported interlocutors as a measure of family language relevance. / Velazquez, Maria Isabel; Garrido, Marisol; Millán, Mónica.
In: Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Vol. 36, No. 4, 07.06.2015, p. 386-403.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Heritage speakers of Spanish in the US Midwest
T2 - reported interlocutors as a measure of family language relevance
AU - Velazquez, Maria Isabel
AU - Garrido, Marisol
AU - Millán, Mónica
PY - 2015/6/7
Y1 - 2015/6/7
N2 - This article presents the results of an analysis of reported interlocutors in Spanish in a group of heritage speakers (HS), in three communities of the US Midwest. Participants were college-aged bilinguals developing their own personal and professional networks outside the direct influence of their parents. Responses are compared with those from two control groups: college-aged native speakers (NS) and college-aged second-language learners (L2). Seventy-seven per cent of HS reported speaking primarily in Spanish with 4–5 interlocutors on the week of the study. HS and NS reported more interactions in Spanish with older relatives, and more interactions with peers outside their family. Little to no interactions in Spanish were reported by either group with speakers younger than themselves. L2 participants reported more interactions with younger individuals. Sixty-nine per cent of all interlocutors reported by HS were their relatives. The mother was the most common relative with whom participants reported speaking in Spanish. This suggests that the previously documented importance of the mother for intergenerational transmission of a minority language extends into young adulthood by providing opportunities for use and motivation for maintenance.
AB - This article presents the results of an analysis of reported interlocutors in Spanish in a group of heritage speakers (HS), in three communities of the US Midwest. Participants were college-aged bilinguals developing their own personal and professional networks outside the direct influence of their parents. Responses are compared with those from two control groups: college-aged native speakers (NS) and college-aged second-language learners (L2). Seventy-seven per cent of HS reported speaking primarily in Spanish with 4–5 interlocutors on the week of the study. HS and NS reported more interactions in Spanish with older relatives, and more interactions with peers outside their family. Little to no interactions in Spanish were reported by either group with speakers younger than themselves. L2 participants reported more interactions with younger individuals. Sixty-nine per cent of all interlocutors reported by HS were their relatives. The mother was the most common relative with whom participants reported speaking in Spanish. This suggests that the previously documented importance of the mother for intergenerational transmission of a minority language extends into young adulthood by providing opportunities for use and motivation for maintenance.
KW - Latino
KW - Midwest
KW - Spanish
KW - bilingualism
KW - heritage speakers
KW - language maintenance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84930041486&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84930041486&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01434632.2014.934373
DO - 10.1080/01434632.2014.934373
M3 - Article
VL - 36
SP - 386
EP - 403
JO - Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
JF - Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
SN - 0143-4632
IS - 4
ER -