Documenting Italo-Romance heritage languages in the Americas

Abstract

This article describes the process of preparation and implementation of a data collection enterprise targeting Italo-Romance emigrant languages in North and South America (specifically: Argentina, Brazil, Canada and US). It provides an overview of the status of these heritage varieties nowadays, and presents a detailed description of the fieldwork preparation, as well as the preliminary results of our investigation. The article provides tips and possible solutions to all sorts of fieldwork-related problems, from bureaucratic issues to practicalities, from safety protocols to the best way to organize a questionnaire for elderly speakers each speaking a different variety. Questions and feedback very welcome!