5.3 Self-reported bilingualism in Malayalam
5.3.1 Questionnaire procedures
A few questions regarding the subjects’ bilingual abilities were included in the Language Use, Attitude and Vitality questionnaire shown in Appendix D. Questionnaire responses were collected from six sites,
three each from Muthuvan and Mannan. Questions were asked in Malayalam, with mother tongue translation used for communication with subjects who had limited Malayalam ability.
5.3.2 Demographic profiles
The researchers decided to find out if there is any variance in bilingualism proficiency between subjects that have completed different levels of formal education uneducated, primary educated and fifth class
and above. People from 16 to 35 years of age were considered as young and those above 35 were considered as old. The researchers tried to find subjects for each possible combination of these
demographic factors. In the case of females, Muthuvan women were reluctant to talk with young bachelors from outside their village. In addition, educated females cannot be found in the areas
researched.
Table 17. Sampling of Muthuvan questionnaire subjects
Uneducated Primary educated Fifth class and above Total
Young Old Young
Old Young
Old Male
4 7
5 4
5 3
28 Female
2 3
- -
- -
5 Total
16 9
8 33
Table 18. Sampling of Mannan questionnaire subjects
Uneducated Primary educated Fifth class and above Total
Young Old Young
Old Young
Old Male
4 2
6 4
5 3
24 Female
7 8
2 2
4 -
23 Total
21 14
12 47
5.3.3 Muthuvan questionnaire results
A few questions were asked to gain a broad impression of the Muthuvan subjects’ evaluation of their own bilingual proficiency. One question that subjects were asked was ‘Can you read and write and, if so, in
which language?’ This question was intended to find out which language is most common for literacy, because schools have been available to the Muthuvan people in both Malayalam and Tamil medium. All
17 of the subjects that have attended any formal education mentioned that they are able to read and write.
Seven of the subjects said that they are literate in Malayalam and seven others said that they are literate in Tamil. Three subjects said that they are equally literate in both Malayalam and Tamil. Five of
the seven subjects who said they are literate in Tamil are old. Six of the seven subjects that said they are literate in Malayalam are young. The responses show a pattern that the older generation is more likely to
be literate in Tamil, whereas the younger generation tends to be more literate in Malayalam.
Subjects were also asked ‘Which language do you understand better, Malayalam or Tamil?’ About half of the subjects 15 out of 33 reported that they understand Malayalam better. Ten subjects
mentioned that they understand Tamil better, while eight subjects said they understand both Malayalam and Tamil equally.
Eight out of the ten subjects who reported they understand Tamil better than Malayalam are old. Nine out of the 15 subjects who said they understand Malayalam better are young. This gives the
impression that young Muthuvan people may generally be more proficient in Malayalam than in Tamil, whereas the old people may understand Tamil better.
Another question asked to investigate levels of bilingualism was ‘Do you fully understand the language Malayalam spoken by Malayalis or that you hear on the radio?’ Most of the subjects felt that
they are able to comprehend conversations in Malayalam. Only five subjects four of whom are uneducated and old reported that they are not able to fully understand conversations in Malayalam. Out
of the 32 subjects that were asked this question, 25 of them 76 reported that they understand conversations in Malayalam. Two other subjects said that they can only understand conversations in
Tamil and do not understand Malayalam.
5.3.4 Mannan questionnaire results
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