Maintenance of Spanish as a heritage language and cultural identity: A study of conservation factors in families with Spanish-speaking origins living in Germany

This study examines the factors influencing the maintenance of Spanish as a heritage language within Spanish-speaking households in Germany. The sample includes 214 parents of heritage speakers aged 3 to 18, with at least one parent being a native Spanish speaker. Results show a statistically significant difference in Spanish maintenance between children from families with two Spanish-speaking parents and those from mixed-language families (Spanish–German). Spanish maintenance correlates significantly with five factors: identification with the heritage culture by heritage speakers; identification with the heritage culture by the heritage speakers’ parents; contact with the extended family of Spanish-speaking origin; Spanish language exposure in heritage speakers at home; and heritage speaker’s intrinsic motivation to use Spanish. In contrast, no correlation was observed between Spanish conservation and parental motivation (integrative and instrumental) to encourage heritage language conservation.