ERIC Number: EJ892438
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1534-8458
EISSN: N/A
"What about Me? I'm Not Like Chinese but I'm Not Like American": Heritage-Language Learning and Identity of Mixed-Heritage Adults
Shin, Sarah J.
Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, v9 n3 p203-219 2010
This study examines heritage-language (HL) experience and identity of 12 adults of mixed-heritage backgrounds through in-depth autobiographical interviews. Each participant has an English-speaking American parent and an HL (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, or Vietnamese)-speaking immigrant parent. The interviews explored each participant's experience in the HL while growing up, self-claimed proficiency in the HL, attitudes toward the HL, and self- and other-perceived identities. The findings suggest that HL proficiencies varied widely, tending to correspond with the extent of the participants' interaction in that language. Three participants had extensive HL experience while 9 had limited HL exposure. These 9 mainly attributed their lack of HL proficiency to their parents' and/or their own reluctance to use the HL, which arose from various societal and personal pressures to shift to English. This article discusses the implications of these findings on heritage-language education. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Speech Communication, Immigrants, Heritage Education, Language Proficiency, Interviews, Language Attitudes, Self Concept, Parent Background, Second Language Learning, English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese, Language Usage, Language Maintenance, Second Language Instruction
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A