Effects of Language Status,Community Advice,and Parent Beliefs on Heritage Language Maintenance in the United States: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Purpose:

This qualitative scoping review examines effects of language status, community advice, and parents’ beliefs on heritage-language (HL) maintenance in the United States.

Methodology:

Twenty-eight articles were included. Data were extracted per Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology.

Data and analysis:

Themes and subthemes were identified via qualitative content analysis.

Findings:

HL speakers mostly desired to pass their HL to their children, but faced barriers including limited resources and time due to the relatively lower language status of the HL, and incorrect advice from community members.

Originality:

Results indicate cascading effects of language status, advice from the community, and parents’ beliefs on family language policy and therefore HL transmission. To our knowledge, no qualitative scoping review has evaluated how external factors impact family-internal factors to shape HL maintenance in the United States.

Significance:

Given multifaceted contributions to HL maintenance, community entities must collaborate to support and promote HLs. We hope this review can guide future research and policy and empower communities.

Keywords

Bilingualism heritage languages language status language maintenance early childhood United States language ideology family language policy parents’ beliefs heritage language maintenance

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