Heritage Language Teaching of Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian in Bern and Zurich

A Sociolinguistic Pilot Study

Abstract

Migration from the former Yugoslavia to Switzerland is highly complex in historical, geographical and linguistic terms. This article analyses courses for heritage speakers (Unterricht in heimatlicher Sprache und Kultur = HSK-Unterricht) of Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian in Switzerland. The aim of this study is twofold. First, to present the current state of heritage language classes in the cantons of Bern and Zurich. Second, to survey the speakers’ attitudes toward them. A sociolinguistic questionnaire with 62 participants mainly from Bern and Zurich provides data on awareness and perceived use of HSK classes. The results indicate that most respondents are unaware that the program exists, and fewer yet have ever participated. The study identifies inadequate advertising as a primary reason for the low level of participation, followed by the program's poor availability at the local level.