3. Has the target group had disagreements with the other potential LRIG project groups in the past?
Past disagreement may be shared more readily than current disputes. A history of disputes may also be of concern even if there are no current issues.
The indicators that will answer the third research question, even if no current issues are mentioned, are the following:
• The groups were not traditional enemies. • There have been no disputes in this generation.
These indicators were assessed using the questionnaire. Observation will also be helpful as these questions are discussed and answered by the group.
2.3 Goal 3: Assess the interest of the target group in vernacular language development
Four research questions were used to assess goal three. They are listed below with their corresponding indicators.
1. Does the target group express interest in vernacular language development?
As stated above, the answer to any direct question should not be taken at face value, but it is important to ask. Having the official answer will then give us something to compare with the other data.
The indicators that will help us answer the first research questions are the following: • The groups express an interest in vernacular language development.
• There is no disagreement with the expressed interest. These indicators were dealt with by a series of questions in the questionnaire. Observations will also
be used to determine the group dynamics as these questions are being answered. Disagreement may not be openly expressed, or impact the official answer given but should be noted as it may help to reveal
patterns in other data.
2. Do church leaders express interest in involving the church in language development?
In most parts of PNG the church is a major part of the decision making process. An enterprise that does not have the backing of the local church has a major hurdle to overcome. For this reason it is
essential to seek the opinion of the local church before beginning any major language development program.
The indicators that will help us answer the second research question are the following: • The local church leaders express a willingness to help in a language development program.
• The church leaders value the vernacular in assisting their efforts in the village. These indicators were assessed by conducting interviews with church leaders in the village, as I was
able, based on the availability of the church leaders. 3.
Has the target group attempted any vernacular language development themselves? Any attempt by the local community to develop their vernacular should be considered. It shows that
the community is willing to act on its own with limited resources, so it stands to reason that they will also work in the LRIG project.
The indicators used to assess the third research question are the following: • If the vernacular does not have an orthography developed by translators or linguists, the
community has made an attempt to devise an orthography. • The community has attempted some basic translation, e.g. Bible stories or hymns.
• The community has developed vernacular materials for school. These indicators were assessed in the questionnaire. Where possible, physical examples of these
materials were collected and photographed.
4. Have any materials produced for the target group been used?
If materials have already been produced by PBT, the government, or another NGO, the use or non- use of those materials will tell us something about the excitement the community has for language
development. The indicator used for this research question is the following:
• If materials have been developed, they are being used in churchschool. This indicator was assessed in the questionnaire. Where possible, physical examples of these
materials were collected and photographed.
2.4 Survey instruments
