Subscriber introduction & inquiries: Preparation for career in heritage language development

[McGinnis, Scott]

Direct responses to the poster of this message may be sent to brian at gael-image.com.



Greetings,

My name is Brian Doyle. I am a new subscriber to the list. I am an
eight-year (independent) student of Irish Gaelic and I am commencing a
master's program in linguistics this fall at Northeastern Illinois
University in Chicago.

I am interested in a career in heritage language development, particularly
as it applies to Irish language study in North America. I am also interested
in exploring the possibilities of projects involving cross-cultural
collaboration. For instance, there is a long-standing relationship between
the Irish and Choctaw communities (dating back to the Irish famine), both of
whom are engaged in language maintenance efforts. (I would be interested in
discussing ideas on this further if others are also interested.)

My question is, how does one prepare--professionally and academically--for a
career in heritage language development? In addition to a passion for the
work, which I take for granted as a prerequisite, what are the core
competencies of those currently working in the field?

Currently, I am anticipating devoting myself to the study of
sociolinguistics and second-language acquisition. Is there anything else I
should be thinking of at this stage in the game?

Finally, what kind of work are others on this list engaged in?

Sincerely,
Brian Doyle (Brian Ó Dubhghaill)