The number of speakers of local languages is declining, a survey released earlier this month showed.
There is a trend of not speaking local languages at home such as Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese), Hakka and indigenous languages, National Taiwan Normal University linguistics professor Chung Chung-hsien (鍾宗憲) said, adding that the government should encourage families to speak these languages at home.
According to a survey by the university, 73.2 percent of Taiwanese identify themselves as Hoklo, followed by 11.2 percent Hakka.
Photo: Screen grab from Taiwan Normal University’s Web site
“However, the survey shows that 68.6 percent of Taiwanese speak Mandarin Chinese at home, while only 29.7 percent speak Hoklo and 1.4 speak Hakka in their homes,” he said.
“Going southward from Changhua and Nantou counties, the use of local languages increases while fewer people than in the north speak Mandarin, with the exception of more Mandarin use in Kaohsiung, as it is a major urban area,” he said.
The rate of speaking local languages is higher in older age groups, with people aged 55 to 59 having a higher rate of speaking a local language than Mandarin, he said.
The survey, conducted through telephone calls, collected 1,070 effective response samples and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points, Chung said.
In another survey conducted last year, 50 percent of people said they were not aware of their ethnic culture, he said.
Respondents said they recognize their ethnic culture through audiovisual media and music, with 60 percent and 52.1 percent respectively.
More than 90 percent said that trips to cultural and historical sites are extremely helpful in terms of cultural awareness, Chung said.
It is important to have fun while learning a language, he said, adding that the government should encourage education through content such as online games, illustrated books and manga.
Such an approach could also produce economic value through the export of cultural products, he said.
“Language learning should include the living environment, and it should not just be a process of going through textbooks. Social environment at school and the society has a role, but speaking one’s mother tongue at home is a guiding force,” he said.
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