The Dynamic Cycle as an interpretative framework for heritage languages

Abstract

The maintenance of heritage languages has often been examined from partial perspectives that emphasize structural, affective, identity-related, or ideological factors. However, the literature still displays a conceptual fragmentation that limits an integrated understanding of the processes sustaining linguistic continuity. This article introduces the Dynamic Cycle of Heritage Language Maintenance (CDM-HL), an interpretive framework developed through theoretical synthesis and abductive reasoning. The model brings together three internal dimensions—linguistic affect and evaluative judgments, communicative confidence, and social connection—whose circular interaction explains variation in the activation of Spanish as a heritage language. These dimensions are shaped by external factors such as language ideologies, educational policies, family agency, variety prestige, and migratory contexts. The article outlines the structure of the framework, its conceptual foundations, and its usefulness for interpreting heterogeneous heritage-speaker trajectories. It also discusses the model’s contributions, limitations, and future research directions aimed at empirical validation.