The culture interviews went smoothly with the groups in all villages. Respondents often quickly reached a consensus on the answers. The only disagreements were related to questions about sorcery and
magic, although these were not frequent. It is culturally more appropriate to gather data in a group setting, so the wordlist was elicited from
one person with a group listening. This caused disagreements and noise issues hampering recording, but also helped us gather more accurate data that was eventually agreed upon by everyone.
During future surveys it would be helpful to have the guides make language use observations as they can often distinguish between the local languages. Also, it is important for each team member to be
conscious of the number of observations they are making, as well as the demographics of the people they are observing, and try to be consistent in each village.
3 Language vitality
The data presented in the following three sections was collected to address the goal of assessing language vitality.
3.1 Language use
Bilingualism in the local vernacular and Tok Pisin was the expected standard of language use across the survey area. Children and adults who have attended school are also expected to be able to speak and
read English, although they are not expected to use it outside the classroom or in other formal settings. Four of the five members of the survey team collected observation-based data which was then
compiled and evaluated by one team member. However, before we look at observed language use, first we will consider reported language use.
3.1.1 Children’s reported language use
Reported information regarding the languages used by children when they are talking to their parents, grandparents, siblings and age mates, and when they are angry, is as follows.
In the Yabong language area, the three villages in the mountains
6
reported that children only use Yabong. People in the coastal village of Baded reported children using both Yabong and Tok Pisin in all
interactions. In the Migum language area, interviewees in Lamtub village reported that children use both Migum
and Tok Pisin for all interactions. Respondents in Singor village reported children using Tok Pisin for all interactions and only using Migum as well when speaking to immediate family.
In the Nekgini language area, interviewees in three of the four villages reported that children only use Nekgini. Those in Reite reported that children use both Nekgini and Tok Pisin in all interactions.
In the Neko language area, it was reported in both villages that children use Neko and Tok Pisin in all interactions.
In each village, people were asked the questions shown in table 3. It should be noted that interviewees in four of the twelve villages in the areas of the languages surveyed stated that their
children learn Tok Pisin as their first language. Only half of the villages claimed that their children know the vernacular as well as the adults.
6
Masi, Bidua and Basor.
Table 3. Reported language learning by children
Vi ll
ag e
W h
at l
an gu
ag e
d o
t h
ei r c
h il
d re
n
le ar
n f
ir st
?
D o t
h ey
k n
ow
th e v
er n
ac u
la r
b y s
ch oo
l ag
e?
D o t
h ey
s p
ea k i
t
as w
el l a
s y o
u ?
D o t
h ey
m ix
T o
k
P is
in w
it h
i t?
H ow
m u
ch d
o
th ey
m ix
i t?
W h
at d
o y
o u
t h
in k
ab ou
t c h
il d
re n
m ix
in g
la n
gu ag
es ?
Yabong Masi
Yabong Yes
Yes Yes
A little No response
Yabong Bidua
Yabong Yes
Yes No
-- --
Yabong Basor
Yabong Yes
Yes No
-- --
Yabong Baded
Yabong Yes
Half way Yes
A lot It is not good
Migum Lamtub
Tok Pisin Yes
Yes Yes
A lot Feel happy
Migum Singor
Tok Pisin Some of it
Not quite Yes
A lot It is wrong
Nekgini Sorang
Nekgini Yes
A little Yes,
some do A little
Not too good, scold them
Nekgini Asang
Nekgini Yes
Yes Yes
A lot Not good,
warn children not to
Nekgini Reite
Tok Pisin Yes
Not quite as well
Yes A lot
Not good, should use
“stret tok ples” pure
vernacular
Nekgini Serieng
Tok Pisin No
A few words
-- --
Concerned they do not
learn Nekgini Neko
Damoing Neko
Yes Not too
well Yes
A lot It is good. Tok
Pisin is PNG’s “tok ples”
vernacular
Neko Warai
Neko Yes
Yes Yes
A lot Not happy,
scold them In general, there is a negative attitude towards children mixing the local language and Tok Pisin.
Interviewees in three of the villages reported that they reprimand their children for mixing languages. The exception to this generalisation is in Lamtub where they “feel happy” when the children are mixing
languages and in Damoing where they said, “It is good. Pidgin is Papua New Guinea’s language.” Most of the villages reported that they like to hear stories in their own local language, with two
exceptions; in Singor they reported Tok Pisin as the preferred language for hearing stories and in Serieng they named both Tok Pisin and Nekgini.
When asked questions about what languages the children know well and currently speak, as well as what languages they think future children will speak, the overwhelming response was the local language,
with the exception of Singor and Serieng. Respondents in the Migum village of Singor reported that children speak Tok Pisin, which did not seem to concern them. Respondents in the Nekgini village of
Serieng said that they think their children and future children should learn the local language. These responses indicate that the people of Singor and Serieng believe their language will be lost within the
next couple of generations. The people in Serieng demonstrated regret over this possibility while those in Singor did not appear concerned at all.
3.1.2 Children’s observed language use
