What is a heritage speaker?

A “heritage speaker” in the United States is a person who was exposed to a Language Other Than English (also called a “LOTE”) at home, but who was educated primarily in English. Heritage speakers benefit from language instruction that takes into account their linguistic and affective characteristics, which tend to differ considerably from those of traditional foreign language students with no background in the language.

According to the 2000 Census, the number of people in the U.S. who speak a LOTE at home is 46 million and growing. In response, we’ve seen the creation of the Alliance for the Advancement of Heritage Languages and the National Heritage Language Resource Center, attesting to the national importance of this area.