The Foochow Chinese: moving towards a pan-Chinese identity anchored to Mandarin
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Su-Hie Ting
Associate Professor Dr Su-Hie Ting teaches academic English and research methodology at the Faculty of Language and Communication, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. She graduated from University of Queensland with a Ph.D in Applied Linguistics in 2001. Her research interests include language choice and identity, academic writing, communication strategies and health communication.
und
Su-Lin Ting
Su-Lin Ting is an early childhood education lecturer at Methodist Pilley Institute, Sarawak, Malaysia. She graduated with a Masters in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) from Oklahoma City University in 2003. Her research interests are in child-centred pedagogy for preschoolers.
Abstract
The study investigated the use of Mandarin and Chinese dialects, and attitudes towards these languages among the Foochow living in Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia. The study involved 408 Foochow respondents (204 children, 204 parents). As most of the respondents’ close friends, neighbours and colleagues were Foochow, and Chinese in general, Foochow and Mandarin were the two main languages used, but English, Malay and Iban were sometimes used with people from other ethnic groups. More parents felt at ease speaking Foochow in all situations but more children felt that it is nothing special to speak their dialect. The most cherished and emotionally expressive language for the parents was Foochow but for their children, it was Mandarin. More parents were aware of cultural associations and activities than their children. They believed that the use of Chinese dialects will decrease in future and intergenerational transmission of the dialect is important. Yet they were still looking to cultural associations and the government to promote their culture and dialect. The study indicated that the markers for membership of their Chinese dialect group are ancestry, language, living among people from the same dialect group, cultural practices and religion.
摘要
本文调查了居住在马来西亚砂拉越州诗巫省的华人对于汉语和汉语方言之使用和态度。这项研究涉及了408名华人受访者(其中有204 名子女, 204 名父母)。多数受访者的亲朋好友和同事皆为福州籍华人, v主要语言以福州话和华语为主, 在与其他种族交谈之时, v会使用英语, 马来语和伊班语。多数父母在使用福州话对话和沟通上会更自在, 但华人子女会觉得使用方言沟通无特别之处。父母认为福州话是最佳表达情感的语言, 而子女则认为是华语。与子女相比, 更多的父母能意识到相关的籍贯文化活动, 他们认为未来华人对于汉语方言的使用会减少 。 父母与子女们认为汉语方言的代代相传极为重要, 但是, 他们仍希望更多的文化机构和政府推广文化及方言的活动。本研究发现调查对象方言群身份的标志包括祖先认同、语言、与相同方言背景的人共同居住、文化习俗和信仰。
Funding source: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Award Identifier / Grant number: DPK/05/2010
About the authors
Associate Professor Dr Su-Hie Ting teaches academic English and research methodology at the Faculty of Language and Communication, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. She graduated from University of Queensland with a Ph.D in Applied Linguistics in 2001. Her research interests include language choice and identity, academic writing, communication strategies and health communication.
Su-Lin Ting is an early childhood education lecturer at Methodist Pilley Institute, Sarawak, Malaysia. She graduated with a Masters in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) from Oklahoma City University in 2003. Her research interests are in child-centred pedagogy for preschoolers.
Research funding: This work was funded by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak via Dana Penyelidikan Khas UNIMAS [Special Research Grant UNIMAS] awarded to a project on “Predictive model of intergenerational transmission of ethnic language”. Grant No.: DPK/05/2010.
Appendix Questionnaire on use of Foochow and Mandarin and language attitudes
Section A: background
Please write your answers in the spaces provided and mark (√) in the appropriate boxes.
| 1. | Gender: [ ] Female [ ] Male | ||
| 2. | Your ethnic group _____ | ||
| 3. | Your dialect group _____ | ||
| 4. | Your father’s ethnic group _____ | 7. | Your mother’s ethnic group _____ |
| 5. | Father’s job: __________ | 8. | Mother’s job: __________ |
| 6. | Father’s educational level [ ] Primary 6 or less [ ] Form 3 [ ] Form 5 [ ] Form 6 or Diploma [ ] University | 9. | Mother’s educational level [ ] Primary 6 or less [ ] Form 3 [ ] Form 5 [ ] Form 6 or Diploma [ ] University |
| 10. | Parents’ monthly income [ ] Less than RM2000 [ ] RM2000-RM3999 [ ] RM4000-RM5999 [ ] RM6000-RM7999 [ ] More than RM8000 |
Section B: language use
Please write your answers in the spaces provided and mark (√) in the appropriate boxes.
| 11. | Most of my close friends are _____ |
| [ ] Foochow | |
| [ ] Other Chinese dialects | |
| [ ] Sarawak Indigenous | |
| [ ] Malay | |
| [ ] Indian | |
| 12. | Most of my neighbours are _____ |
| [ ] Foochow | |
| [ ] Other Chinese dialects | |
| [ ] Sarawak Indigenous | |
| [ ] Malay | |
| [ ] Indian | |
| 13. | Most of the colleagues I am close to are _____ |
| [ ] Foochow | |
| [ ] Other Chinese dialects | |
| [ ] Sarawak Indigenous | |
| [ ] Malay | |
| [ ] Indian |
| 14. | Please list the languages (including dialects) you speak in the boxes provided and answer the following questions: | ||
| A. ____________________ | |||
| I speak it | [ ] very well | ||
| [ ] well | |||
| [ ] enough for daily life | |||
| [ ] a little bit | |||
| I speak it | [ ] most of the time | ||
| [ ] several times a week | |||
| [ ] few times a week | |||
| [ ] only when necessary | |||
| I learn it … | [ ] at home | ||
| [ ] at school | |||
| Others, specify: _____________ | |||
| B. ____________________ | |||
| I speak it | [ ] very well | ||
| [ ] well | |||
| [ ] enough for daily life | |||
| [ ] a little bit | |||
| I speak it | [ ] most of the time | ||
| [ ] several times a week | |||
| [ ] few times a week | |||
| [ ] only when necessary | |||
| I learn it … | [ ] at home | ||
| [ ] at school | |||
| Others, specify: _____________ | |||
| C. ____________________ | |||
| I speak it | [ ] very well | ||
| [ ] well | |||
| [ ] enough for daily life | |||
| [ ] a little bit | |||
| I speak it | [ ] most of the time | ||
| [ ] several times a week | |||
| [ ] few times a week | |||
| [ ] only when necessary | |||
| I learn it | [ ] at home | ||
| [ ] at school | |||
| Others, specify: _____________ | |||
Section C: attitudes towards languages
Please write your answers in the spaces provided and mark (√) in the appropriate boxes.
| 15. | Which language do you cherish (love) the most in your life? _____ | |||||||||||
| 16. | Which language do you use for expressing deep feeling (when you are angry, grieving, …)? _____ | |||||||||||
| 17. | Please circle your answer. | |||||||||||
| “Foochow people should speak Foochow. If they don’t speak Foochow, they are not Foochow.” Do you agree with the above statement? | ||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ||
| Strongly Disagree | Strongly Agree | |||||||||||
| “Chinese people should speak Mandarin. If they don’t speak Mandarin, they are not Chinese.” Do you agree with the above statement? | ||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ||
| Strongly Disagree | Strongly Agree | |||||||||||
| 18. | Which statement describes you? Please tick (✓) ONE only. | |||||||||||
| [ ] I am Foochow | ||||||||||||
| [ ] I am more Foochow than Chinese | ||||||||||||
| [ ] I am equally Foochow and Chinese | ||||||||||||
| [ ] I am more Chinese than Foochow | ||||||||||||
| [ ] I am Chinese | ||||||||||||
| 19. | What are the reasons that make you feel part of your dialect group? Please list from the most important to the least important. (Example: religion, origin of ancestors, language … )? | |||||||||||
| 1. ________________________________________ (most important) | ||||||||||||
| 2. ________________________________________ | ||||||||||||
| 3. ________________________________________ | ||||||||||||
| 4. ________________________________________ | ||||||||||||
| 5. ________________________________________ | ||||||||||||
| 20. | How do you feel when using your dialect? (You may tick more than one) | |
| [ ] I love it | [ ] I am ashamed | |
| [ ] I am proud | [ ] Special | |
| [ ] I feel at ease in all situations | [ ] I feel a sense of belonging together | |
| [ ] I am limited in words | [ ] I cannot speak it |
| 21. | Is there a cultural association for your dialect group? | ||
| [ ] Yes | [ ] No | [ ] I don’t know | |
| 22. | Which cultural events happening within your ethnic community are predominantly presented in your dialect? _______________ | ||
| [ ] I don’t know | |||
| 23. | What materials available in your dialect do you use? | |||
| [ ] Recording of folktales | [ ] Websites | [ ] Video | [ ] TV programme | |
| [ ] Religious liturgy | [ ] Dictionary | [ ] Karaoke | [ ] Radio programme | |
| [ ] None | ||||
| Others, specify: _______________ | ||||
| 24. | What material would you like to find in your dialect? | |||
| [ ] Recording of folktales | [ ] Websites | [ ] Video | [ ] TV programme | |
| [ ] Religious liturgy | [ ] Dictionary | [ ] Karaoke | [ ] Radio programme | |
| [ ] None | ||||
| Others, specify: _______________ | ||||
| 25. | In your view, in the last 20 years the number of speakers of your dialect is … | |
| [ ] Increasing | ||
| [ ] Stable | ||
| [ ] Decreasing | ||
| [ ] I don’t know | ||
| 26. | Do you think your use of your dialect is different from that of the older generation? | |
| [ ] Yes | [ ] No | |
| If yes, what are the differences? (Different words, less vocabulary, mixing languages, etc) ___________________________________________________ | ||
| 27. | Do you think the next generations of your ethnic group will speak the dialect in 10 years? | |
| [ ] Will be used in a purer way than today | ||
| [ ] Will be used as it is today | ||
| [ ] Will be used but mixed more and more with other languages | ||
| [ ] Will disappear | ||
| 28. | Do you think the next generations of your ethnic group will speak the dialect in 30 years? | |
| [ ] Will be used in a purer way than today | ||
| [ ] Will be used as it is today | ||
| [ ] Will be used but mixed more and more with other languages | ||
| [ ] Will disappear | ||
| 29. | Do you think the next generations of your ethnic group will speak the dialect in 50 years? | |
| [ ] Will be used in a purer way than today | ||
| [ ] Will be used as it is today | ||
| [ ] Will be used but mixed more and more with other languages | ||
| [ ] Will disappear | ||
| 30. | Do you think your ethnic group should do something in order to perpetuate the use of your dialect? | |
| [ ] Yes, it is needed. What should be done? _______________ | ||
| [ ] It is in progress. Please describe: _______________ | ||
| [ ] No. Why? _______________ | ||
| 31. | Do you think the government should do something in order to perpetuate the use of your dialect? | |
| [ ] Yes, it is needed. What should be done? _______________ | ||
| [ ] It is in progress. Please describe: _______________ | ||
| [ ] No. Why? _______________ | ||
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- The Foochow Chinese: moving towards a pan-Chinese identity anchored to Mandarin
- Chinese maintenance and shift among Chinese migrant youth in Prato (Italy) and its connectedness with new formations of Chinese identity
- 1930年代“大众语”在新马的宣传及其对国语推广的影响
- 东南亚华语初期发展变化考察 —— 以《新国民日报》为例
- 新马华语 “被” 字式历时考察
- 早期东南亚华语的几种数量表达形式及其发展
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- The Foochow Chinese: moving towards a pan-Chinese identity anchored to Mandarin
- Chinese maintenance and shift among Chinese migrant youth in Prato (Italy) and its connectedness with new formations of Chinese identity
- 1930年代“大众语”在新马的宣传及其对国语推广的影响
- 东南亚华语初期发展变化考察 —— 以《新国民日报》为例
- 新马华语 “被” 字式历时考察
- 早期东南亚华语的几种数量表达形式及其发展
