scholarly journals Nahuatl, selected vitality indicators and scales of vitality in an Indigenous language community in Mexico

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 166-180
Author(s):  
Grace A. Gomashie ◽  
Roland Terborg
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Language Maintenance ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Linguistic Knowledge ◽  
Indigenous Language ◽  
Language Community ◽  
Language Endangerment ◽  
At Home ◽  
Language Transmission

Abstract Scales or measurements of vitality propose various factors to assess the degree of endangerment of a language. Using these measurements offers important insights into the maintenance of a language and identifies the areas in need of support. The current study employed seven scales to assess the vitality of Nahuatl in the language community of Puebla, Mexico. Data on the selected vitality indicators, absolute speaker population, and intergenerational language transmission were collected through questionnaires on linguistic knowledge and home language use. Results showed that five out of the seven scales characterized Nahuatl as not at an immediate risk of endangerment as it had speakers in all age groups and was spoken at home by them. However, there was need for more emphasis on transmitting Nahuatl to the younger generations who made up the majority of the non-Nahuatl speaker population and were more likely to use Spanish than Nahuatl. The approach taken by this study will be of value when assessing other communities facing language endangerment and seeking language maintenance and revitalization.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic level and bilinguals’ performance on language and cognitive measures

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1057-1078 ◽  
Author(s):  
VIRGINIA C. MUELLER GATHERCOLE ◽  
IVAN KENNEDY ◽  
ENLLI MÔN THOMAS
Keyword(s):  
Parental Education ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Minority Language ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
Socioeconomic Level ◽  
Cognitive Measures ◽  
Complex Relation ◽  
At Home

The performance of bilingual children and adults in Wales on Welsh and English vocabulary and grammar and on cognitive measures is re-analysed in relation to SES indicators of parental education and parental professions. Results are reported for 732 participants ranging across seven age groups from age 3 to over 60 and from four home language types, monolingual English, and bilinguals with only English at home, Welsh and English at home, or only Welsh at home. Results reveal extensive evidence of SES influence on performance, and of a complex relation of exposure in the home and SES level on performance, modulated by the age of the participant and whether one is considering the majority or minority language.

A Preliminary Study Examining Parent Perceptions and Practices in Heritage Language Transmission in Texas

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 1540-1551
Author(s):  
Casey L. Taliancich-Klinger ◽  
Kendra Gonzalez
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Parent Perceptions ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Language Transfer ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Language Transmission

Purpose The purpose of this project was to explore characteristics impacting the transmission of a heritage language from a parent to a child from the parent's perspective to better understand challenges that families may face when trying to pass on a heritage language to their children. Method In this pilot study, 14 interviews were conducted with individuals who reported they were currently raising or had raised at least 1 child to be able to speak about language transfer practices and beliefs. Participants were interviewed regarding their own language use and proficiency. Participants were asked questions pertaining to their attitudes and their children's attitudes toward their home language. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for emergent themes related to language transmission and challenges to passing down the heritage language to their child. Results Common themes that emerged related to parents passing down their heritage language included the community the families resided in and the parent's proficiency level. Conclusion It is important for educators and clinicians to understand how a parent's decision to pass down their language may be impacted by how much community support they experience and how proficient parents are in their heritage language. Implications of these results for educators and caretakers are discussed.

scholarly journals How much does parental language behaviour reflect their language beliefs in language maintenance?

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanjiang Yu
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Language Maintenance ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
First Language ◽  
Language Shift ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Know How ◽  
Migrant Families

It has been widely accepted that parental language beliefs play a crucial role in language maintenance. Studies show that Chinese immigrants are not exempted from language shift although they are frequently reported cherishing their language as an important part of their culture. This paper attempts to find out how parental language beliefs reflect their daily language behaviour. Eight recent Chinese migrant families had 60 minutes of conversation recorded each month for one calendar year. Their language use has been analyzed and compared with the information gathered from a home language use questionnaire. Results show that there is a substantial gap between parental language beliefs and their actual language behaviour. Although the parents state they strongly support mother tongue maintenance, within 28 months, the use of mother tongue had dropped significantly and there is very little evidence showing much effort from the parents to prevent this from happening. This could be either because they want their children to keep their first language but do not know how to do this, or, their language beliefs are different from their behaviour. This should raise methodological issues regarding how to interpret parental language beliefs properly in the research area.

The Maintenance of Bahasa Simalungun in Kecamatan Gunung Maligas

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Enni Erawati Saragih ◽  
Amrin Saragih ◽  
Sri Minda Murni
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Language Maintenance ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Parent Attitudes ◽  
Language Endangerment ◽  
Educational Domain ◽  
Wedding Ceremony

The objective of this study is to identify levels of language endangerment of BahasaSimalungun (BS), to ascertain the domains which are needed proportionally to be managed by the speakers to maintain and to ascertain the ways can be done by the BSS in maintaining BS. This study was based on qualitative approach. Interviews and questionnaire are used as instrument of data. The data were collected by interviewing 22 Simalungunese comprising of second and first generation. The data were analyzed with reference to the theory six levels of language endangerment by UNESCO and Language Use domain by Fishman.The findings showed (1) BS is in the stage of risk up to nearly extinct, this was caused by intermarriage, residence in non Simalungun family and parent attitudes,(2) BS needs to be proportionally managed because most of them are shy to learn and use BS in their daily life, and (3) 20 options offered to maintain BS and18 options were agreed by using BS in wedding ceremony (family domain), using BS in IKEIS (friendship domain), using BS in Perwiritan (religion domain), learn BS as Mulok (educational domain), and using BS in selling and buying activity (employment domain). Key words: Language maintenance; Language endangerment.

scholarly journals Sociolinguistic vitality of Manx after extreme language shift: authenticity without traditional native speakers

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 (231) ◽  
pp. 45-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tadhg Ó hIfearnáin
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Language Shift ◽  
Indigenous Language ◽  
Language Community ◽  
Language Death ◽  
Language Endangerment ◽  
Alternative Models ◽  
Traditional Language

Abstract This article draws on sociolinguistic fieldwork among speakers of one of Europe's smallest indigenous language communities, a speaker group which persists after the loss of all of its “traditional speakers” within living memory. The extreme language shift experienced by Manx has not led to loss of the language as a spoken and literary medium due to the efforts of significant numbers of language activists and enthusiasts over several generations, from before the loss of the traditional language community to the present. Their actions have resulted in significant linguistic institutionalisation and a rapidly expanding number of speakers of various abilities, some of whom form a new “speaker community”. It discusses the constructions of linguistic authenticity and alternative models for the revival speaker, showing how core groups of speakers have been bestowed with authenticity by the wider non-speaker population, for whom linguists' interest in language endangerment and language death are not primary concerns. The article shows how speakers appropriate and are accorded forms of authority and legitimacy in the absence of traditional native speakers.

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