LANGUAGE CHOICES AND LANGUAGE ATTITUDES AMONG YOUNG PENANG CHINESE

JONATHAN, TENG ZIE MING (2020) LANGUAGE CHOICES AND LANGUAGE ATTITUDES AMONG YOUNG PENANG CHINESE. [Final Year Project Report] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This research examined the language choices and attitudes of young Penang Chinese, and the vitality level of Penang Hokkien using Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS). The participants were 156 Penang Chinese students aged 13 to 20 years old with both parents of Chinese descent. A 54-item questionnaire using the Likert scale was distributed though snowball sampling. Results showed the occurrence of language shift from Hokkien to Mandarin among young Penang Chinese, but Hokkien was still used by 45.0% of the young Penang Chinese with their grandparents. Young Penang Chinese showed positive language attitude towards Hokkien in six out of seven components of attitudes, namely, preferences of Hokkien, pride in Hokkien, Hokkien identity, social status of Hokkien, instrumental value of Hokkien and maintenance of Hokkien. Mandarin education and SMJK(C) background influenced young Penang Chinese to use Mandarin widely in family, friendship and education domains. The vitality of Penang Hokkien was rated at EGIDS Level 6b (Threatened), meaning that Penang Hokkien is used orally by all generations but intergeneration transmission of the language is disrupted because the language is not transmitted to the children by a number of parents.

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