Language shift of two moribund indigenous languages in Taiwan

What is it about?

Language shift to a process whereby a speech community gives up a language or dialect in favour of another. Kanakanavu and Saaroa are among the three most endangered indigenous languages in Taiwan, each with a few competent native speakers left today. The Kanakanavu and Saaroa people underwent a serious degree of their heritage language loss. Their first acquired languages have been replaced by Bunun (an indigenous language spoken by a populous indigenous people) and/or Mandarin Chinese (the official language of Taiwan).This study investigates the process of their language shift and the correlations between some key social factors and their language shift.

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Why is it important?

This study accounted for how the changing social factors accompanied by two waves of migration in the histories of Kanakanavu and Saaroa are related to the shift of their heritage languages. Moreover, it offered some valuable quantitative references for an urgent call of revitalisation of the highly endangered indigenous languages in Taiwan.

Perspectives