Language maintenance and shift and issues of language maintenance education in a section of the Chinese Community in Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

The Chinese community in Wellington numbering 4,500 is part of a national community of approximately 20,000 people. This study investigates the process of language maintenance and shift and attitudes towards those processes within a small section of the community. All the respondents were New Zealand born Chinese and all were speakers of Cantonese rather than any other Chinese dialect. They ranged in age from late 20s to early 50s. All the respondents were parents. A networking technique was used to contact potential respondents. A questionnaire was administered to 51 respondents. The questions focused on respondents' patterns of language use when they were children, their present patterns of language use language use and those of their children. Questions about Chinese language maintenance education and community attitudes towards such education were also asked. The results showed that substantial, although not complete, shift from Cantonese to English has occurred within this section of the community and is continuing. It was also clear however that these members of the community do not want Cantonese use to cease altogether, and have an interest in encouraging the use of the Cantonese language. The study provides an account of language maintenance and shift within a particular community. It also considers the function of language maintenance education and literacy within a minority immigrant community in New Zealand.