Reflections on Brazilian Portuguese as a Heritage Language

Abstract

This article will approach concepts such as hegemonic language and heritage language from the linguistic and also political perspective, based on the answers of a questionnaire answered by emigrant Brazilian parents. The reports concern the linguistic choices of their home environments and the relationships that these choices suggest. These analyses will be based on Cummins (1983), Cho (2000), Flores and Melo-Pfeifer (2014), and Łyskawa, Maddeaux, Melara, and Nagy (2016), heritage language researchers; also in Souza (2010b), and Souza (2016) highlighting the specificities of the teaching context of Portuguese as Heritage Language. Culture, language, and identity are correlated concepts that blend into their definitions. We notice that migrant families living in multilingual environments have linguistic choices to make that are reflected not only in language learning but also in cultural enrichment and in the negotiation of identities that are constructed during linguistic interactions. Recognizing the heritage language as a valuable asset, in addition to giving the speaker a possibility of openness to future professional opportunities, makes a difference in the lives of these speakers concerning communicative ability and how to deal with the culture and roots of the family.