Resumen de The use of Tongan in New Zealand: Prospects for language maintenance
The Tongan community in New Zealand is a relatively recent immigrant group and a relatively young one. A questionnaire was used to collect data on language proficiency, language use, and attitudes to Tongan from a sample of 100 Tongans in Wellington, the capital city. The results provide a profile of a closely knit community, fluent in Tongan and English, yet with a high level of Tongan language maintenance at present. Tongan is their preferred language in a range of domains. Even at work and in shops Tongans generally use Tongan to each other, regardless of the presence of non‐Tongan speakers and the particular setting of the interaction. Attitudes to Tongan are generally very positive.
There are also signs of incipient shift, however. Proficiency in English is increasing; younger people tend to code‐switch when they meet; and few are aware of the dangers of language loss, despite the evident example of the Maori language in New Zealand. Nevertheless the situation is currently one where language shift has not yet proceeded very far, and if steps are taken soon, conscious efforts to maintain Tongan have every chance of success.
