Advanced Conversation Exchange

Questions (B2-C1)
Your Languages
1. What language do you identify as your “native language” or “first
language”? What do you think those labels mean?
2. What is your first memory of your heritage language as a child?
3. Who do you believe can consider themselves bilingual? Why do you
believe in that definition?
4. What do you think a child needs in order to become a bilingual adult?
5. Did you ever attend any language programs as a child? What are your
memories of them?
6. What are your favorite phrases or words in your heritage language?
7. Do you ever “code-switch”? When and why? (Switch between 2+
languages or ways of speaking.)
8. What has been the most surprising thing about relearning or improving
your heritage language?
9. What do you think the roles is of language is in culture?
10. Can you claim you’re from a culture if you don’t speak the language? Why
or why not?
11. Have you ever avoided speaking your language out of shame? When and
why?
12. How important do you think a “native-like” accent is, and why?
13. What are your biggest motivations in relearning or improving your heritage
language?
14. Does it bother you when people make assumptions about you or your
language based on your ability (or lack of ability) to speak it? Can you give
any examples?
15. What is your ultimate goal in learning, relearning, or improving your
language?
Your Ancestors
1. What do you know about your grandparents’ lives?
2. Do you know about any ancestors before your grandparents? What do
you know about them?
3. How long removed does someone have to be from a homeland or culture
to lose or distort the culture? Does that matter?
4. What do you think you inherited from your ancestors?
5. What about you would make your ancestors the proudest?
6. If you could ask your ancestors any question, what would it be?
7. If you could thank your ancestors for one thing, what would it be?
8. Do you have any family heirlooms? What are they? Or why not?
9. Do you believe in intergenerational trauma? Has it affected you in any
way?
10. Do you have any words of wisdom passed down in your family?
Your Future
 1. How do you see the future of your culture and language?
2. Who’s responsibility is cultural and linguistic transition in a family or
community?
3. Do you plan on passing on your heritage to future generations somehow?
How will that be similar and different from what your parents did?
4. If you could change one law to promote your language or culture, what
would it be?
5. Do you think climate change will affect your culture and/or people within
your lifetime?
6. Do you think your heritage language skills will be personally valuable to
you in the future? Why or why not?
7. How do you see using your heritage language in your everyday life once
you’ve reached your goals?
8. What do you think the role of English (or any international language) will
be in your culture’s future?
9. Do you think technology will help or hinder linguistic preservation in the
future?
10. How do you think your generation will be remembered in the future
descendants of your culture?
Your Biculturalism
1. How do you relate to the dominant culture where you live?
2. Do you share your culture with others? How and why, or why not?
3. What are you most proud of in your biculturalism?
4. Have you ever faced stigma, racism, or prejudice because of your
biculturalism?
5. What are the parts of your cultures that you don’t relate to at all?
6. Are there any parts of your culture that you feel ashamed about? Under
what circumstances
7. Has anyone ever told you that you’re not “really” one of your identities?
What do you say to people who believe that? (“Where are you *really*
from?” “Well You’re not *really* [ethnicity] you’re [nationality].”)
8. Have you ever seen your cultures co-opted or appropriated? What do you
think about that?
9. What’s the most misunderstood thing about bicultural people, in your
opinion?
10. What symbols from either of your cultures (flags, crests, animals, icons)
do you identify with or not? Why are cultural symbols important to some
people?
11. What’s the relationship between the dominant culture where you live and
your own diaspora or community?
12. What are the benefits of biculturalism in your personal life?
13. What tradition, food, or worldview from your culture have you been excited
to share with other people in your life?
14. Is it important to you that your friends or romantic partners learn about
your culture? Why or why not?
15. In what ways is your bicultural generation different from your ancestors? Is
that good or bad?
Global Multiculturalism
1. What other cultures are you in contact with regularly? What is that
relationship like?
2. What are some cultures you admire, and why?
3. Do you think humans are becoming more or less tolerant of other
cultures? Why?
4. Who can or can’t claim they are from a certain culture? Where is the line?
5. Do you think globalism (mass media, transportation, the internet) has
been a positive or negative thing for multiculturalism?
6. What are the differences between a colonist and an immigrant? What are
the similarities?
7. How has migration affected you personally?
8. What are the negative and positive consequences of open borders?
9. What effects will interracial or intercultural families have on the future of
your culture?
10. Who owns the rights to a cultural practice? Why? Even financially?