Language use and language attitudes of Yao people in Vietnam

Abstract

Language vitality of many ethnic minority languages in Vietnam are quickly getting weaken under the effects of social factors. This fact requires us to investigate the language usages and the existing scripts of ethnic minorities in Vietnam to timely and appropriately preserve and develop them. Our survey results show that Yao – Vietnamese bilingual status is very popular in Yao communities in Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang and Lao Cai provinces. However, this bilingual status is unequal as 60% surveyed respondents are literate in Quoc ngữ writing while most of them are illiterate in their Yao traditional writing system. Our findings also show that Yao language plays an important role in conversations among family members, Yao people and in ritual practices. Meanwhile, Vietnamese has been widely used in communications in governmental offices, outside Yao communities and in multi-ethnic communications. Yao people have positive language attitude toward both their mother tongue and Vietnamese