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Home and School Language Practices and Their Effects on Heritage Language Acquisition

A View from Heritage Italians in Germany

Bibliographic Data

ID5900511
AuthorsIrene Caloi (Goethe University Frankfurt, corresponding author), Jacopo Torregrossa (0000-0001-7538-9725, Goethe University Frankfurt, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume6
Issue1
Pages50
Publication date2021-03-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueLanguages (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2226-471X • E-ISSN: 2226-471X
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/languages6010050
OpenAlexW3136759511
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited58

This paper intends to provide some speculative remarks on how consistency and continuity in language use practices within and across contexts inform heritage language acquisition outcomes. We intend "consistency" as maintenance of similar patterns of home language use over the years. "Continuity" refers to the possibility for heritage language speakers to be exposed to formal education in the heritage language. By means of a questionnaire study, we analyze to what extent Italian heritage families in Germany are consistent in their use of the heritage language with their children. Furthermore, by analyzing the educational offer related to Italian as a heritage language across different areas in Germany, we reflect on children's opportunities to experience continuity between home and school language practices. Finally, we interpret the results of previous studies on Italian heritage language acquisition through the lens of consistency and continuity of language experience. In particular, we show that under the appropriate language experience conditions (involving consistency and continuity), heritage speakers may be successful even in the acquisition of linguistic phenomena that have been shown to be acquired late in first language acquisition

Archaeology · Consistency (knowledge bases · Cultural heritage · First language · Heritage language · Language acquisition · Linguistics · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Computer Science · History · Linguistic Studies and Language Acquisition · Multilingual Education and Policy · Psychology · Second Language Learning and Teaching · Artificial Intelligence

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Unique citing works18
Citations per year6
Citation span2023 - 2026 (4)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 18
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