Heritage Language Development: Preserving a Mythic Past or Envisioning the Future of Canadian Identity?

This article, part of a larger study, examines three middle-class, Hispanic Canadian families' conceptualizations of language, culture, and identity. Via an analysis of interview data, the findings indicate that the parents assigned diverse meanings to heritage language development (HLD) and held high expectations for their children's formation of adaptable identities as a result of their bilingualism and multilingualism. They constructed HLD as a passport to a cosmopolitan worldview, suggesting the need to further expand our conceptualization of HLD and identity. This understanding can be seen as a starting point for future scholarly discussion and as an avenue for research in this area. HLD can be an important catalyst for socializing younger generations into a broader outlook while negotiating new citizenship. The article concludes by positing the intersection between HLD and cosmopolitan identities as a potentially fruitful dimension to be considered in discussions about the emergence of a Canadian identity.