TY - JOUR
T1 - Language, authenticity and identity
T2 - Indigenous fijian students and language use in schools
AU - White, Carmen M.
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - Many indigenous minorities are in the process of revitalising their languages lost through such colonial policies as the use of colonial languages for instruction in schools. In these revitalisation movements, the indigenous language becomes a symbol of group authenticity. The literature suggests that indigenous populations define group authenticity as part of an oppositional identity relative to that of a dominant, or former colonising group and their language. This paper focuses on the case of Fiji, where English is the language of instruction in secondary schools but where the indigenous Fijian language has a strong presence, ironically, due in part to the historical use of the vernacular for academic instruction in mission schools. The paper explores the attitudes of indigenous Fijian secondary school students on English-language usage among peers and suggests that an indigenous group can define group authenticity independently of an oppositional identity.
AB - Many indigenous minorities are in the process of revitalising their languages lost through such colonial policies as the use of colonial languages for instruction in schools. In these revitalisation movements, the indigenous language becomes a symbol of group authenticity. The literature suggests that indigenous populations define group authenticity as part of an oppositional identity relative to that of a dominant, or former colonising group and their language. This paper focuses on the case of Fiji, where English is the language of instruction in secondary schools but where the indigenous Fijian language has a strong presence, ironically, due in part to the historical use of the vernacular for academic instruction in mission schools. The paper explores the attitudes of indigenous Fijian secondary school students on English-language usage among peers and suggests that an indigenous group can define group authenticity independently of an oppositional identity.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85006486343&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07908310208666630
DO - 10.1080/07908310208666630
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85006486343
VL - 15
SP - 16
EP - 29
JO - Language, Culture and Curriculum
JF - Language, Culture and Curriculum
SN - 0790-8318
IS - 1
ER -