Portuguese language in the context of migration: pride or disaffection?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21747/21833958/red17a8Keywords:
Portuguese Language, Identity, Diaspora, Language Ideologies, Plurilingualism, Heritage LanguageAbstract
This article proposes a sociolinguistic approach to the linguistic practices of Portuguese communities in a migratory context, emphasizing the role of language as an identity marker, intergenerational link and instrument of cultural belonging. In contrast to traditional structuralist and descriptive linguistic analyses, the reflection developed here focuses on ideological frameworks and power relations that shape the production and evaluation of linguistic practices. We argue that the standard norm is not the only legitimate reference and that the Portuguese language spoken outside Portugal, in a heritage language context, should be recognized as a plural, situated and legitimately heterogeneous practice. We discuss how speakers in the context of migration operate with complex and contextually appropriate plurilingual repertoires, challenging deficit ideologies that stigmatize them as “incomplete speakers”. The article concludes with a plea for more inclusive and pluricentric linguistic and educational policies that value the diversity of the Lusophone space and promote sociolinguistic justice, recognizing the migrant communities as active agents of the vitality of the Portuguese language outside Portugal.
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