Why take an LCTL?...

Summary

The most common response, across all languages, was heritage. This response included 1st or 2nd generation Americans who wanted to solidify ties to their culture and talk to parents and grandparents, and also those whose ancestry is more distant but who are interested in discovering more about their roots or ethnicity.

According to the respondents, those who find LCTL courses necessary or desirable (i.e., immediately relevant) for their studies include graduate students doing research in anthropology, art history, history, linguistics or literature, and undergraduate students in area studies, international relations, business or law, or those in a language/literature major in the language.

Others take courses because they see the language as potentially relevant for study abroad, or for jobs or internships in another country, or because they have a personal or romantic relationship with a (non-related) native speaker of the language.

A number of students become interested in a LCTL through interest in or experience with some aspect of the culture, such as martial arts or Japanese animation, Irish music and dance, films from Scandinavia or India, and literature and art from a number of cultures.

Travel to the country, whether completed or anticipated, is also a significant factor. This includes students who have returned from year-abroad programs and recreational travelers.

Some students take a LCTL because they are interested in languages and perceive the LCTLs as more challenging, exotic or "different" than languages they have taken before.

While some students cite "fulfilling a language requirement" as a motivation for taking a LCTL course, it is generally not the sole reason for doing so; for example, it fulfills a language requirement and they are interested in the culture, or it fulfills a language requirement and they view it as exotic or challenging, or it fulfills a language requirement and it is part of their heritage. Those who take a LCTL because they think it will be an easy way to fulfill a language requirement are either 1st or 2nd generation Americans who already have some familiarity with the language, those who started the language in high school and want to continue, or those who already speak or have studied a closely related language.

In a few cases, an instructor's popularity, or a good reputation for teaching quality can spark interest in a LCTL. According to the two respondents who teach at the high school level, parents and peers are a significant influence on the decision to study a LCTL for high school students.