Pixabay image by Gerd Altmann An anecdote I often share relates to my personal experience with language proficiency and identity. As a heritage speaker, I sound like a native speaker of two languages, yet language transfers such as unnatural or awkward colocations and grammar can make me sound like a foreigner in both languages. Early in my education, I made a deliberate effort to improve my linguistic competence and eliminate some of the telltale signs of Spanish heritage speakers, like divergent attainment of the subjunctive and the morphosyntax of agreement (Scontras et al., 2015). I felt I had achieved true bilingualism, and my Spanish AP Exam score of 5 and test exemption from all Spanish college courses validated my feelings. Shortly after starting my college education, I had an opportunity to serve in the military, where additional testing proved that my mastery of the Spanish language exceeded the minimum requirements of Cryptologic Linguists. I had done it! F...
All of the content on this blog is written by an interpreter and translator, and is based on personal research and experience. It is written for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.