{"id":2232,"date":"2024-05-28T14:10:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-28T14:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/?p=2232"},"modified":"2024-06-21T21:13:25","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T21:13:25","slug":"portuguese-as-a-heritage-language-a-conversation-with-regina-mccarthy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/2024\/05\/28\/portuguese-as-a-heritage-language-a-conversation-with-regina-mccarthy\/","title":{"rendered":"Portuguese as a Heritage Language: A Conversation with Regina McCarthy"},"content":{"rendered":"

In honor of International Mother Language Day, the PLD hosted a special event featuring Regina McCarthy<\/a>, an accomplished interpreter and translator, to share her insights on the importance of preserving Portuguese as a Heritage Language. Regina teaches Portuguese as a Heritage Language at the Brazilian Consulate and as a second language at the United Nations International School (UNIS) in NY.<\/p>\n

The Camoes Institute, the Brazilian Office of Foreign Affairs, and UNIS signed a memorandum of agreement aimed at promoting Portuguese as a polycentric language. Notably, Portuguese is spoken in nine different countries, each adding its unique variant and flavor to the language’s rich tapestry.<\/p>\n

According to UN estimates, the global Portuguese-speaking population currently stands at 260 million and is projected to reach 400 million by 2050.<\/p>\n

Despite its status as the fifth most spoken language worldwide, Regina pointed out that many of her students are unaware of Portuguese’s global prevalence, and that’s why she advocates for its relevance, particularly as a Heritage Language.<\/p>\n

\u201cA l\u00edngua de heran\u00e7a \u00e9 um legado lingu\u00edstico e cultural levado pelos emigrantes <\/em>a outro pa\u00eds.\u201d \u2013 <\/em>Juliana Gomes e Andreia Moroni<\/p>\n

The concept of Heritage Language (HL) was first introduced in Canada in the 1970s, following the need to offer ESL courses to children of migrants who did not speak either of the country’s two official languages to aid their integration into the school system. In the 1990s, the term gained traction in the US, while in Brazil, it became popular earlier due to the Brazilian diaspora of the 1980s.<\/p>\n

Heritage Language refers to a minority language spoken within a family and community setting. Its preservation and dissemination depend on the collective efforts of family members, the community, educators, and the government. Beyond mere linguistic skills, HL encompasses family values and the culture of one’s country of origin. Specialists assert that fluency is not a prerequisite for an individual to identify with a heritage language culturally\u2014it forms an integral part of their identity, a right everyone should be entitled to.<\/p>\n

Regina, a Brazilian-born daughter of Italian migrants, illustrates this with her personal experience. Although her mother became fluent in Italian through extensive interaction with her family, she did not pass this fluency on to Regina. Despite this, McCarthy grew up with a solid connection to Italian culture and a profound sense of belonging, even though she speaks broken Italian.<\/p>\n

The linguistic development of HL contrasts sharply with that of a dominant language, which is often acquired through natural immersion. In contrast, exposure to an HL is generally limited to family and community interactions. Additionally, HL speakers typically acquire proficiency at varying rates, contributing to a marked linguistic heterogeneity within the same age group. Ms. McCarthy highlights this in her classroom, noting the wide disparity in fluency levels among her students\u2014some six-year-olds are highly verbal, while some nine-year-olds may scarcely speak.<\/p>\n

One significant challenge Regina faces is that while her students can speak Portuguese, their reading and writing skills often lag behind. This gap typically arises from a lack of structured literacy education or formal training in their HL.<\/p>\n

For instance, her daughter was only exposed to Portuguese speaking until the age of three, and English naturally became her dominant language in pre-school. Today, she remains fluent in Portuguese and is able to communicate well, but now lacks authenticity, displaying a predominant influence of English grammar and structure while formulating sentences in Portuguese.<\/p>\n

According to Ms. McCarthy, this is frequent among HL speakers and should not be censored or bluntly corrected. On the contrary, it should be embraced, and the use of heritage language stimulated. Parents should always try to answer using the HL, even when their children speak to them in their dominant language. The loss of fluency among HL speakers is a common factor with age. She reassures parents that even if children respond in English when spoken to in Portuguese, they are still absorbing aspects of the HL.<\/p>\n

Brazil’s Portuguese as a Heritage Language Olympics is an initiative launched by the Office of Foreign Affairs and promoted by the Guimar\u00e3es Rosa Institute in 2021. The Consulate-General of Brazil in NY has participated in all three editions. The contestant’s age group varies according to each unit of Guimaraes Institute; in New York, it targets children aged nine to ten and 13 to 15. Since promoting the language also entails acknowledging all the contestants and their efforts, all contestants receive a certificate of attendance and gifts.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on her experience with the HL Olympics, Regina notes that many children feel intimidated by writing and reading in Portuguese, but she believes it is essential to help them overcome these fears. “We do have to correct them, now and then, but in general, we simply allow them to speak; most importantly, it’s their own variant of the HL. They impart their own flavor to it,” she explains. That’s what she advocates for\u2014 a more democratic engagement with the language, celebrating each learner’s unique contribution to its evolution.<\/p>\n

The HL Olympics have proven to be very fruitful and effective in raising awareness among families and the broader community about the importance of preserving their HL. Regina highlights the new partnerships formed during the event and the opportunities to promote HL on social media and within the community.<\/p>\n

Ms. McCarthy has shared some helpful learning strategies to maximize exposure to Portuguese as an HL:<\/p>\n