Sociolinguistic Study on Portuguese Heritage Speakers in Andorra Uncovers Language Alternations and Identity Ties

The University of Andorra has presented a sociolinguistic study by Dr. Joana Aguiar examining language practices and attitudes among heritage Portuguese speakers aged 16 to 45 in the principality.

The research, unveiled on 10 June to mark Portugal Day, Camões Day, and Portuguese Communities Day, forms part of the UdA's Píndoles de recerca series organised by the International Doctorate School. Titled *A língua portuguesa em Andorra numa perspetiva sociolinguística: alternâncias linguísticas e processos de convergência gramatical no discurso de falantes de português língua de herança*, it received funding from the UdA's Càtedra Camões. Through semi-structured interviews, the study analysed lexical borrowing, code-switching, and grammatical convergence—particularly in preposition use and weak pronoun placement—in participants' speech towards Portuguese, Catalan, and Spanish.

Findings reveal 892 documented language alternations: 75.4% lexical loans (mostly nouns from Catalan or Spanish into Portuguese discourse), 19.1% grammatical convergence from Catalan and Spanish, and 5.5% code-switching within sentences. Participants view Portuguese as integral to their family identity and intergenerational transmission, yet they primarily use Catalan and Spanish for social interactions, friendships, school, and work. Notably, while they report strong proficiency in speaking, reading, and understanding Portuguese, writing poses greater challenges. An overwhelming 83% see Portuguese classes as vital for preserving the language across generations.

A striking pattern emerged in emotional expression: despite strong identification with Portuguese, speakers more frequently turn to Catalan or especially Spanish for conveying feelings, shaped by their dominant socialisation environments. One participant described this duality as "two places linked by a bridge—I am both places at once, I cannot choose."

Dr. Aguiar, who earned her doctorate at the University of Minho and has taught at places like the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, specialises in sociolinguistics and forensic linguistics. This marks her second project with the UdA's Grup de Recerca en Llengües, jointly funded by the university and Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua. Unlike her prior work on first-generation immigrants, this focused on younger heritage speakers socialised mainly in Catalan or Spanish.

UdA Rector Juli Minoves highlighted the Portuguese community's deep roots, stating it is now "an Andorran community." Researchers plan to extend the work into school settings to further probe language attitudes. The study underscores broader patterns seen in other Lusophone diaspora communities, such as in Germany, amid Andorra's multilingual landscape where Portuguese cultural markers remain visible in shops and eateries.