Heritage language as identity: perspectives from the Azorean-American diaspora of New England

Abstract

This article calls attention to the sociolinguistic invisibility of young heritage language learners of European Portuguese in New England. Through an exploratory analysis, based on ethnographic and sociolinguistic insights, we highlight the mismatch between top-down Portuguese language instruction policies and bottom-up language experiences in the Azorean-American diaspora in Massachusetts, affecting not only the academic success of those students but also their own ethnolinguistic identity. We critically analyze how a powerful standard language ideology, which is both monolinguist and monocultural, impacts language teaching policies, and thereby question the notion of a singular Portuguese heritage language that masks its internal diversity.