ABSTRACT
Heritage languages in Argentina, similarly to what happens in other ‘New World’ countries, comprise Indigenous languages and the languages of immigrant groups. This latter group presents a wide spectrum, including Italian dialects; regional languages of Spain, Polish, Yiddish, German, English, Russian, French, Japanese, Armenian, Arabic, and so on; and, more recently, African languages. Immigrants arrived in great numbers at the turn of the 20th century and continue arriving today, albeit in smaller numbers and from different countries. The degree of success of these groups in regards to language maintenance has varied greatly depending on several key factors within and beyond the communities. Local and global socioeconomic, cultural, educational, and political conditions have had deciding impact on the possibilities of passing on a certain language from one generation to the next. This chapter explores the factors at work in the belief that a more thorough understanding of these issues will allow the design of strategies for effective language maintenance and promotion as a source of individual and societal wealth.
