He Pukenga Korero, Vol 2, No 2 (1997)

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Diglossia: A Theoretical Framework for the Revitalisation of the Maori Language

Steven Chrisp

Abstract


I tēnei pūrongo, e mea ana ahau ko te 'diglossia' te
anga e pakari ai te ora o te reo Māori ā tōna wā. I tāku
kōkiritanga i tēnei whakaaro, e whakahē ana au i ngā
whakaaro e rua; tuatahi, ko te kōrero e mea ana me
kōrero Māori te katoa o ngā Māori i ngā wā katoa,
tuarua, mā te tokoiti e ora ai te reo.
Ko te tino tikanga o te whakaaro e kōkiri nei au,
koia; kia noho ētahi wāhi hei wāhi kōrero Māori. Nā
ko ēnei wāhi nei, me wāhi e tino muia ana e te Māori,
me wāhi mana Māori anō hoki. Mā te Māori anō e
whakarite ko ēhea wāhi ēnā, ā, ka pēhea te nui o te
kōrerotia o te reo. E whā ngā āhuatanga ka
whiriwhirihia i te wā o te whakarite; ko te kaha o te
hiahia ki te reo, ko te mōhio ki te reo, ko te noho o te
tangata me te mōhio anō ki ngā take reo.

In this paper, I propose that diglossia is the most appropriate
theoretical framework for the revitalisation
of the Māori language. In doing so, I argue against the
development of Māori monolingualism and the establishment
of a Māori-speaking sub-population.
The diglossia model involves the selection of core
domains that will become Māori language domains;
these domains must be places where Māori spend significant
amounts of time, and can exercise substantial
control. Māori people will decide what these domains
are, and how often they will speak Māori in these domains.
The decisions about the use of Māori will be
influenced by four factors; motivation, knowledge,
situation and critical awareness.

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