Alternative Writing Systems and the Development of Literacy: A Cross-Cultural Comparison
Author(s):
Reder, Stephen; Green, Karen Reed
Format:
Journal article
Publisher:
1982.
Language:
English
Abstract:
Certain characteristics of the contact between a large literature society & a cultural minority group have a profound impact on the spread of the larger group's literacy to the minority population; considered is the impact of one important characteristic -- alternative writing systems within the minority population -- on the development of literacy. Two extreme contact situations are examined: (1) residents of an Eskimo fishing village in Alaska who came into gradual contact with literacy without being displaced from their traditional environment or economy; & (2) a community of predominantly illiterate Ru Hmong refugees from Laos, who resettled in a US west coast Ur area. Ethnographic fieldwork provided the bulk of data, complemented by historical documents, public agency records, personal histories, in-depth interviews, & community-wide surveys. In both settings, strong interactions were observed between writing systems & social realities. In the Eskimo village, development of first Slavonic & Alutiiq (a Koniag Eskimo language) literacy & then English literacy occurred through very distinct socialization processes & in well-defined, nonoverlapping domains of activity. Though each was introduced by outside powers, Slavonic & native literacy took on totally contrasting social meanings from English literacy, which has a negative influence on the acquisition & use of English today, in spite of the demise of the other two literacies. In contrast to the Alaskan village, the Hmong community has little conflict between native & English literacy. Although initially introduced by outsiders for use in the specific domain of religion (as was Alutiiq for the Eskimos), Hmong literacy has spread to other domains & continues to be used in the US. The social meanings attached to both Hmong & English literacy appear to be positive, & there is widespread feeling that Hmong literacy facilitates acquisition of English. Generalizations suggested by these contrasting case studies about the interaction among alternative writing systems, sociohistorical context, & the development of literacy are considered along with their implications for literacy education & development policy.