linguisticretention
nounUK /lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪk rɪˈtɛnʃən/
US /lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪk rɪˈtɛnʃən/
Keeping a language or words in your memory and using them later.
Her linguistic retention of Spanish stayed strong even after years without practice.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The ability of a community to keep using its native language over time.
The island's linguistic retention surprised researchers who expected the dialect to fade.
3. In education, how well students remember vocabulary and grammar after instruction ends.
The study measured linguistic retention three months after the course finished.
4. The preservation of a language's features within a bilingual speaker's mind.
Linguistic retention of the heritage language helped him reconnect with his grandparents.