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Title Three Regions, One Indigenous Language, Two Vitality Assessments: 1022 The Higaonon In Mindanao
Posted by Venus Parmisana
Authors Venus Parmisana
Publication date 2016
Volume NOember 2016
Publisher Faculty HUmanities and Social Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Thailand
Abstract The increasing rate of the world’s indigenous languages becoming endangered or losing chances to survive over the past decades has caused concerns from researchers and ethnolinguists. The present study aims to look at predictors to reversing language endangerment. Anchored upon ethnolinguistic vitality theory, this on-going study assesses vitality of Higaonon, an under-documented indigenous language in Mindanao, Philippines. The sociolinguistic data will be collected through a modified and researcher-made survey questionnaire that key informants in three regions- Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental and Agusan del Norte- believed to have the least number of Higaonons, will answer objectively and subjectively. To be chosen by stratified-probability sampling, the Higaonon informants will be grouped as the In-group (indigenous community residents; n=120) and the Out-group (urban residents; n=40), who will be determined by age, gender, education and place of residence. The study employs the experimental combination of two typologies of language vitality assessment using Giles, Bourhis and Taylor’s (1977) ethnolinguistic vitality framework and the UNESCO’s 9-Vitality Criteria. Objective and subjective assessments rest on the hypothesis that just equally important as the Ingroup’s subjective vitality assessment is their own objective assessment, both may result to speakers’ perceived language vitality, language beliefs and attitudes, and the extent of language use. Using quantitative and qualitative methods in data analysis, the results will reveal predominant predictors of vitality (high, medium, low) that may correlate with either language survivability or language shift. Recommendations shall be carved for language maintenance or revitalization efforts and the pursuit of linguistic diversity.
Index terms / Keywords Language Vitality Assessment, Higaonon Indigenous Language, Ethnolinguistic Vitality Theory, UNESCO Vitality and Endangerment Assessment, Language Shift and Maintenance, Sociolinguistics
URL https://hs.kku.ac.th/ichuso/2016/Panel_25.pdf