heritage language

American  

[her-i-tij lang-gwij] / ˈhɛr ɪ tɪdʒ ˌlæŋ gwɪdʒ /

noun

1. a language used at home and spoken natively by the adults in a family, but often not fully acquired by subsequent generations whose schooling and other socialization occurs primarily in a different language, usually a dominant or official language in the surrounding society.

   I speak Polish as a heritage language, but I never studied it in school.

---

Etymology

Origin of heritage language

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

heritage language

It was the moment the United States lost what could have been one of its greatest advantages: a rich mosaic of multi-generational heritage language speakers.

From Salon ● Feb. 12, 2026

What all of this amounts to is a case study in how society in the 2020s is wrestling with these giant concepts: belonging, identity, lived experience, heritage, language, labels, offence.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2024

Instilling East African culture and heritage language connects children with elders’ wisdom and the wider community.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 13, 2023

The study shaped her organization’s work with parents and educators on how to sustain one’s heritage language and pass it on to future generations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2023

“To mispronounce our heritage language, especially when we know better, is to celebrate ignorance. And we’re in beautiful, smart, enlightened Austin, Texas. We’re better than that!”

From Washington Times ● Oct. 19, 2014