2007年VOA标准英语-'Heritage Speakers' Return to Native Languages

By Steve Mort
Orlando, Florida
07 June 2007
 

A little more than a decade ago, the number of people studying foreign languages in the U.S. colleges was on the decline.  Now, the Modern Language Association of America reports enrollment¹ is rising rapidly--in both overall numbers and the percentage of students taking foreign language. Other studies indicate many of those in language classes are known as "heritage speakers."  That would include immigrants taking refresher courses in their native tongues or descendants of migrants who are now studying the language of their parents or grandparents.

In a Florida classroom, Barbara Leach² and Marcella Bush practice Polish with their teacher.  They are what experts call 'heritage speakers.'   Leach grew up in the United States but her Polish parents did not speak English at home.  Now, decades after speaking Polish as a child, Leach has decided³ to take up the language again.

"After my mother passed away 15 years ago I did not have anyone to speak Polish to and you end up, if you do not use it, you forget it,” Leach explains.  “So I have decided to take the Polish classes and it has really helped a lot because once I started taking those I started thinking back in Polish -- when I would see a chair, instead of thinking it is a 'chair,' I am thinking of it in Polish."

The U.S. Census⁴ Bureau estimates about two thirds of a million Americans speak Polish at home.

Here in Florida where the two women are studying their traditional language, Bush says interest is booming.  "We usually have about 20 people in the Polish classes so that is kind of amazing to have 20 people interested in learning a very difficult language."

China is another country whose language is gaining in popularity in the U.S.  At last count, the language association found a record 34,000 college students were studying Chinese.  And a linguistics⁵ group stated an increasing number of those students are of Chinese descent.

Dr. Ilon Alon

Dr. Ilan Alon heads the Chinese department at a Florida college.  He says, "What we are seeing is Chinese is becoming one of the most up and coming foreign languages and for the first time we have established a full-time⁶ professor to teach Chinese to various cohorts of our students."

The U.S. government funds work promoting heritage language skills.  For example, the U.S. gave more than $300,000 dollars to the University of California to track minority language use each year in immigrant communities.

But Sophia Wu from Orlando's Chinese School of Tomorrow says training programs for heritage instructors⁷ are lacking, especially for those teaching younger students.  "The kids, it depends on their level at home -- they have different levels of mastering the language. The teacher and the material, the text book, is not really now suited for this group so there is a lot of things needed to be done."

Across the U.S., in states like Florida, demand for heritage language courses continues to grow.  Arabic, Korean, Vietnamese and Russian have all seen a surge in popularity.  And one study estimated that around half of those enrolling⁸ in such language courses are heritage speakers.

1 enrollment   

n.注册或登记的人数；登记

参考例句：

• You will be given a reading list at enrollment.注册时你会收到一份阅读书目。
• I just got the enrollment notice from Fudan University.我刚刚接到复旦大学的入学通知书。

2 leach   

v.分离，过滤掉；n.过滤；过滤器

参考例句：

• Liquid water can leach soluble materials from the interface.液态水能够从界面溶解出可溶性物质。
• They believe that the humic materials are leached from decaying plant materials.他们认为腐植物料是从腐烂的植物体浸沥而来。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

5 linguistics   

n.语言学

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• Linguistics is a scientific study of the property of language.语言学是指对语言的性质所作的系统研究。

6 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

7 instructors   

指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The instructors were slacking on the job. 教员们对工作松松垮垮。
• He was invited to sit on the rostrum as a representative of extramural instructors. 他以校外辅导员身份，被邀请到主席台上。

8 enrolling   

v.招收( enrol的现在分词 )；吸收；入学；加入；[亦作enrol]( enroll的现在分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They lashed out at the university enrolling system. 他们猛烈抨击大学的招生制度。 来自辞典例句
• You're enrolling in a country club, Billy. 你是注册加入乡村俱乐部了，比利。 来自辞典例句