Citing the results of a survey on the use of Aboriginal languages, Council of Indigenous Peoples Minister Mayaw Dongi, an Amis, voiced his concern about their decline, calling on Aborigines across the country to put more effort into reviving their languages, warning that ethnic groups would vanish soon after their language disappears.
“The language is a decisive element in whether Aboriginal cultures prevail; when a language becomes history, the tribe will soon become history as well,” Mayaw told a press conference, at which the council released the results of the survey that lasted almost a year and interviewed more than 12,000 Aborigines.
“It must be remembered that a language can only be preserved by that language’s speakers, no matter how much concern and help others offer. It’s the speakers’ responsibility to save the language,” he said.
Photo: Loa Iok-sin, Taipei Times
Mayaw said he was concerned because the second phase of the nationwide survey on the Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Tao, Bunun, Amis and Puyuma languages — and 17 dialects of those languages — showed that, on average, 89 percent of the respondents speak Mandarin at home and that only 52.7 percent said they speak their Aboriginal language from time to time in their daily lives.
Maljeveljev Tudjlimaw, the director of the language division at the council's Department of Education and Culture said that among the six Aboriginal languages surveyed, Puyuma would be added to the endangered languages list, as only 27 percent of respondents said they spoke the Puyuma language regularly, while 94 percent said they spoke Mandarin during their daily lives and 46 percent Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese).
“Taking a further look at the figures, we can see that there is different language use among different age groups. Those who are 41 years old or above — especially those who are over 60 years old — speak their Aboriginal language better, while the 31-to-41 age group speak it not as well. The ability to speak their Aboriginal language is most worrying for those under 30,” Maljeveljev said. “Among the six languages, the ability to use the Aboriginal language is the worst for Puyumas.”
She said that there are also differences in each of the languages among Aborigines living in traditional Aboriginal lands and those who live in cities.
“Apparently, those living in traditional Aboriginal villages speak their languages better, while those living away do not speak as well,” she said. “However, it must be noted that, whether living in Aboriginal villages or away, the Puyumas are not doing as well speaking or passing down their language.”
On the other hand, Mayaw said there is also good news, as after three years of a language revival project there has been much progress in the language abilities of the Kavalans, Sakizayas and Saisiyats.
“The tribal language ability of these three Aboriginal groups, in general, has progressed well and has even surpassed some other groups,” he said.
Previously, the three languages had been listed as “endangered” along with six other Aboriginal languages — Thao, Kanakanavu, Laa’rua and three dialects of Rukai.
“The purpose of the language survey is to identify the endangered languages, so that we may come up with a project to help revive those languages and to monitor the progress of the revival of the language,” the minister said.
Mayaw said the project would involve exploring the history of the language, asking those who speak it to “adopt” several individuals or families as language mentors.
“We would also help pay the salaries if Aboriginal families hire babysitters who speak the language, or at kindergartens in Aboriginal areas that hire traditional language-speaking teachers, because we believe language learning must start in childhood,” Mayaw said.
However, Mayaw expects to meet some resistance from Aborigines who enjoy a higher socioeconomic status, “because they think it’s more important to learn English.”
“I think our policy can only stop languages from declining further — Aborigines themselves must be serious about facing up to the problem,” Mayaw said.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS