The motivations of heritage and non-heritage students in learning portuguese in L(USA)land

Abstract This study investigates the motivations of both heritage and non-heritage students of Portuguese at two universities in Rhode Island where Portuguese-speaking migrant communities have settled and their language has strong visibility. Attention is drawn to motivation since it is known to be a significant factor in the development of linguistic proficiency. The results of this study underscore a difference in students’ motivation for studying Portuguese between heritage and non-heritage language learners. Findings also suggest that heritage speakers of Portuguese recognize the importance of the language to communicate daily with family and relatives. In contrast, non-heritage learners of Portuguese perceive the Linguistic Landscape as an authentic space to practice and facilitate their learning. Furthermore, non-heritage learners value the language and are motivated to learn Portuguese in order to communicate with the community and understand its culture. Finally, in light of our conclusions, we seek to contribute and extend our research of students’ motivation to other languages.