Summary of the Kachok Language Survey

145 2. What are the attitudes of Kachok speakers toward their own language and the other languages they speak? 3. Does it appear likely that Kachok speakers of the next generations will continue to use their language? The instruments used in this study included the five sociolinguistic questionnaires, informal interviews, and observations. The five sociolinguistic questionnaires - Individual, Group, Christian Leaders, Teachers, and Village Leaders were orally administered to interview the respondents in nine Kachok villages located in Andoung Meas and Veun Sai districts: Kaoh Peak, Upper Kachut, Lower Kachut, Nay, In, Big Kanat, Small Kanat, Kak, and Tanong. The individual SLQ was administered in four villages in which 12 subjects were interviewed in each village. The group interview was administered in nine villages with four persons in each group. The seven village leaders were interviewed as knowledgeable insiders of the Kachok villages. Three Christian leaders from Nay, Upper Kachut, and Lower Kachut villages were interviewed regarding the church domain. A total of 12 teachers were interviewed both in formal schools and community literacy classes. One Khmer language assistant and three Kachok interpreters helped in gathering the data. The results of five sociolinguistic questionnaires were analyzed to assess the vitality of the Kachok language by applying the two models: The UNESCO’s Nine Factors on Language Vitality and Endangerment and Fishman’s Graded 146 Intergenerational Disruption Scale GIDS. Indicative and predictive factors for language vitality were also described for the Kachok language situation. 5.2 Findings of the Study 5.2.1 Languages Used by the Kachok Speakers in Different Domains Home • All respondents claimed that Kachok language is spoken in nine Kachok villages, exclusively used by the Kachok people at home when communicating with grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren, and siblings. They use their own language purely in their homes except when the spouse is a non-Kachok speaker. • As reported, Kachok is the language that the Kachok children learn to speak first. In all nine villages, the children speak their language clearly and fluently. There are no children who do not speak Kachok. Kachok is generally used by the children at home and in the community except when they are in schools where Khmer language is the medium of education. • Most Kachok speakers marry within their language group, although parents have no problem if their children marry into another ethnic group, as long as they continue to speak Kachok with them and with their children at home. In cases of intermarriages, the language spoken at home is determined by the location where they settle. If a Kachok 147 marries a non-Kachok speaker and lives outside the Kachok area, the language of that village is used. For Kachok, they usually settle at the mother’s village. • Based on Fishman 1991 GIDS, the Kachok language is at stage 6 in which the language is currently used and maintained at home with children which show a positive factor with respect to current language vitality. Friendship • Results show that Kachok people use their own language when talking with Kachok friends in their village. However, they use the language of their non-Kachok friends who do not understand the Kachok language. • As reported, some respondents do not visit other non-Kachok villages, do not have non-Kachok friends, and cannot speak any languages except Kachok. SocialPublic Domain – weddings, funerals, village meetings, and market • The respondents reported that Kachok is used in the religious ceremonies – weddings and funerals - otherwise Khmer is used when non-Kachok speakers are present in these social gatherings. • At village meetings, respondents reported that Kachok is used exclusively, otherwise Khmer is used when there are other ethnic groups present in the meetings.