Literature Review - Part 2: Impact of Korean heritage language maintenance on ethnic identity

Kim (2015) examined the effect of Korean language loss on Korean–Canadian immigrants' sense of belonging and cultural identity. The case study method was utilized in order to evaluate the attitude of several Korean immigrant families in Canada towards Korean language maintenance. Data was collected through detailed examination, observation, and questionnaires conducted on participants. The study by Kim (2015) found that loss of proficiency in heritage languages often led to frustrations within Korean immigrant parents. This was mainly due to the difficulties in communications that would arise once second generation Koreans acquire the host country’s language.

Furthermore, second generation participants in the study reported that they felt a loss of cultural identity once their heritage language was forgotten, and believe that heritage language schools provide an opportunity to connect with Korean culture and their family through lessons and social interactions with other Korean students. Several factors influenced the attitude of immigrant parents towards heritage language learning. One reason that immigrant parents neglected heritage language education for their children was because of their preoccupied concerns with settling into Canada and providing a stable income for the family. Because many first generation immigrant parents were simply too busy to teach children their heritage language, Korean was soon forgotten or remained untaught amongst second generation children. Furthermore, second generation Koreans reported that they quickly lost proficiency in their heritage language after entering schools because the focus switched to learning and becoming fluent in English.

Moreover, parents of second generation immigrants would desire integration of their children into American culture and academic society by quickly gaining proficiency in English and diverted their attention away from Korean heritage language learning. However, the study also revealed that there was a lack of motivation within the immigrant children themselves when learning the heritage language. Many second generation or 1.5 generation Korean immigrants reported that they felt peer pressure and conflicts between the mainstream American culture with Korean traditional values, leading to a rejection of their Korean heritage background in order to fit in. Overall, it was demonstrated that parental attitudes had a large impact on whether immigrant children would maintain their heritage language and develop a strong sense of cultural identity.

References

Becker, D. J. (2013). Parents’ Attitudes Toward Their Children ’s Heritage Language

Maintenance: The Case of Korean Immigrant Parents in West Michigan. Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1058&context=theses

Jang, S.-J. S. (2016). Social Capital and Cultural Identity for U.S. Korean Immigrant

Families: Mothers' and Children's Perceptions of Korean Language Retention. Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://www.proquest.com/docview/1800272194/9A941F3AF2A14628PQ/1

Jeon, M. (2008, March 5). Korean heritage language maintenance and language ideology.

Brill. Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://brill.com/view/journals/hlj/6/2/article-p206_4.xml

Kang, H. (2004). Heritage language maintenance, acculturation, and identity: Chinese and

Korean 1.5 generation immigrants in New Jersey. Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=osu1143819278&disposition=inline

Kim, J. (2011). Korean Immigrant Mothers’ Perspectives: The Meanings of a Korean

Heritage Language School for Their Children’s American Early Schooling Experiences. Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://www.proquest.com/docview/864079246/fulltextPDF/9A941F3AF2A14628PQ/3?accountid=41837

Kim, M. (2015). Running head: Heritage language loss in Korean immigrants heritage ...

Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://mspace.lib.umanitoba.ca/bitstream/handle/1993/30381/Kim_Minji.pdf?sequence=1

By Harry Chang

Editor Suhh Yeon Kim