What is it about?
This article addresses the contextual nature of identity, focusing upon a specific group - young, Siberian born Buryat-Mongolians, who have travelled from Russia to China for educational purposes. They choose to use different languages in different contexts to express their sense of self. Language is never neutral - these young people understand the historical, political, and cultural implications of their linguistic choices.
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Why is it important?
This article adds a unique perspective to the relationship between language and power by illustrating that even young people understand this relationship.
Perspectives
I feel that dominant languages impact people, specifically young people, and this impact is often invisible. Preserving Indigenous languages is important because each l;language carries valuable cultural insights into how we as humans reside on earth. Without understanding the relationship between linguistic choice and power, Indigenous and other less spoken languages are at risk.
Valerie Sartor
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Evolving Identities Among Russian-Born Buriat Mongolian Children in a Chinese Bilingual School, The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, March 2016, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1017/jie.2016.4.
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