heritage language
noun[C]
uk/ˈher.ɪ.tɪdʒ ˌlæŋ.ɡwɪdʒ/us/ˈher.ɪ.t̬ɪdʒ ˌlæŋ.ɡwɪdʒ/alanguagethat someonelearnsin thehomeas achild, but that may not notfullydevelopbecause thepersonuses a differentlanguagein othersituationsintheirlife:
The Navajo arereluctantto give uptheirheritagelanguage.
Hebelievesheritagelanguageteachingis animportantstepinhelpingimmigrantstudentsrealizetheirpotential.
- Students usecollegelanguageclassroomstotrytorecapturetheheritagelanguagesthey may havelost.
- Hercurrentareaofworkaddressesheritagelanguageeducation.
- A lot ofpeopleinourcommunityhavedecidedthat we are not toindulgeinourheritagelanguageasfreelyas before.
Forms of languages & specialist dialects
- acrolect
- argot
- basilect
- cant
- colloquialism
- functional
- legalese
- lingo
- lingua franca
- metalanguage
- MFL
- newspeak
- oral
- pidgin
- plain English
- Polari
- rhyming slang
- slang
- slangy
- tongue