4.3.2.3 Attitude towards varieties of their mother tongue
Qn.12a. In which settlement is the Muthuvan language spoken most purely?
All are same Tamil Muthuvan Malayalam Muthuvan Don’t know Nowhere
11 34 13 41
4 13 3 9
1 3 The objective of this question was to find which Muthuvan speech variety is best accepted by the
subjects. This may help to assess the attitude that subjects have towards their local variety, as well as towards other varieties of Muthuvan.
A number of subjects said that the purest Muthuvan variety is spoken in their own area. Many Tamil Muthuvan and Malayalam Muthuvan subjects reported that their own variety is the purest. However, two
Malayalam Muthuvan subjects reported that Marayoor a Tamil Muthuvan village is the best place to hear their language spoken purely. None of the Tamil Muthuvan subjects mentioned Malayalam
Muthuvan settlements. Eleven subjects 34, all of whom were from Tamil Muthuvan villages, reported that all the varieties are the same. It should be noted that a majority of the questionnaire subjects were
from Tamil Muthuvan settlements.
Qn.12b. Why do you say that it is pure? Only 11 subjects were asked this question. Many different answers were given. The reasons that
people gave for why they like the variety spoken in their area were: they can understand it easily; they like the style in which it is spoken; and because there is no mixing with other languages. The two
Malayalam subjects who preferred the way their language is spoken in a Tamil Muthuvan village said they like it because it is mixed with Tamil. A few other Malayalam Muthuvan people on the other hand
mentioned that they like their own variety because other people mix their language with Tamil.
Qn.12c. In which settlement is the next purest Muthuvan language spoken? Only a few subjects were asked this question. Their responses were similar to those they gave for
question 12a discussed above. Both Tamil Muthuvan and Malayalam Muthuvan subjects referred to other settlements in their respective areas.
4.3.3 Language vitality
Qn.3a. What language do your children speak first?
MT LWC
32 100 -
This question was meant to assess whether or not language shift has already begun. All of the subjects reported that their children learn to speak their mother tongue first.
Qn.3b. How old are your children when they start to speak Malayalam or Tamil?
Below 7 years old 8 to 12 years old
17 53 15 47
Just over half of the subjects 17 said that their children learned to speak an LWC while they were under seven years old. But almost half 15 of the subjects expressed that their children learn to speak an
LWC while they are between seven and 12 years old. This is the age at which most children start to go to school.
Qn.3d. What language do educated children that have lived in hostels use with their parents and other villagers?
MT Both
9 56 7 44 All of the subjects reported that the children that had lived in hostels while attending classes outside
their community use their mother tongue either exclusively or alongside Malayalam when they return. Qn.4. Do the young people know the Muthuvan language as well as the old people do?
Yes No
33 100 -
This question was focused on whether there might be any language shift happening among the Muthuvan. All of the subjects reported that the young people know Muthuvan just as well as the old
people know it. Qn.11. Would you allow your son or daughter to marry someone from outside of your community?
Yes No
7 21 26 79 A pattern of inter-marriage with members of other ethno-linguistic communities can be a cause or
sign of language shift. However, 26 subjects 79 expressed their disapproval of inter-community marriage. Only seven people said that they would allow their children to marry outsiders. The responses
show that many Muthuvan people oppose inter-community marriage. This attitude could help preserve their culture and mother tongue.
Qn.15. Do you think that, when your children have grown up, they will still speak the Muthuvan language?
Yes Yes, both Not sure
26 84 3 10
2 6 This question focused on the Muthuvan people’s perspective about the continuation of their
language. Most of the subjects believe that the younger generation will still speak their mother tongue in the future. A few subjects think that both Muthuvan and Malayalam will be spoken by the next
generation. None of the subjects specifically responded that they do not think the children will speak their mother tongue after they grow up, although two people said that they were not sure whether or not this
would be the case.
4.4 Observations and informal interviews
