The Linguistic Situation of a Hmong Community in the North-West of Vietnam
Author(s):
Nguyen Van Hieu, M A
Format:
Conference presentation
Publisher:
2002.
Language:
English
Abstract:
The extent of bi- & multilingualism in an exclusively Hmong district of northwestern Vietnam is investigated by surveying the second-language use of a sample (N = 400) representing 15% of the total population, divided among five age groups: 5-14, 15-30, 31-45, 46-60, & 61-100. Results show that Vietnamese dominates other second languages, being used by 90% of the youngest group & declining with age to 44% of the oldest group. Multilingualism is greatest in the 31-45 age group, & sex differences emerge clearly in two respects: Vietnamese is used by 96% of males but only 27% of females in the 46-60 age group, & use of Tay-Nung increases with age among males & decreases with age among females. Hmong is actively used by the entire population in most situations, whereas active use of Vietnamese is limited to school & to communication outside the home village setting. J. Hitchcock