December 7, 2017 1 Comment latl ITML3 Language shift and maintenance in 1.5 generation Chinese in New Zealand: initial findings Joanne Li & Elaine Ballard University of Auckland CC BY 4.0 Cite as: Li, J. & Ballard, E. (2017, December). Language shift and maintenance in 1.5 generation Chinese in New Zealand: initial findings. Paper presented at the Third UC Intergenerational Transmission of Minority Languages Symposium: Challenges and Benefits. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.5674669 SCROLL DOWN TO END OF PAGE FOR COMMENTS Research into language maintenance suggests that Chinese language communities in English speaking countries undergo rapid inter-generational language shift (Li Wei, 1994; Clyne & Kipp, 1999; Jia, 2008; Zhang, 2010). In this presentation we consider the status of language shift and maintenance within the 1.5 generation Chinese New Zealanders. Eleven tertiary students were interviewed on their views on language and its role in their perception of culture and identity. The findings suggest, similar to other research, there is already a shift towards English. Participants attribute this to the lack of opportunities for using Chinese and the pressures to learn English. However, language shift may be slower than in other research, as self-rated Chinese language proficiency was high for all participants. The level of proficiency is attributed to a combination of factors including attendance at Chinese language school, social media use and the use of Chinese as a home language. Interestingly, many still placed importance on retaining Chinese because of the language’s role in maintaining connections to family, the Chinese community and their culture. We conclude with some thoughts on the multiplicity of factors that enhance home language maintenance.
