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Article published In: Australian Review of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 18:2 (1995) ► pp.105–136

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Maintenance of the Chinese language in Australia

 | Language Teaching Institute, SEAMO Regional Language Centre
Published online: 1 January 1995
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https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.18.2.06wu
This paper discusses the maintenance of Chinese in Australia. It presents the case for the high probability of the maintenance of Cantonese and Modern Standard Chinese (MSC). Some of the factors favourable to the maintenance of Cantonese and MSC include the following: relative numerical strength of the speakers; cultural dissimilarity between the dominant and the minority groups; language as a core value in the minority group; concentration of the minority groups at focal points; interaction patterns of the minority group and change in Australian language policies. These factors are examined in the light of supportive language maintenance institutions that reinforce the high probability of the maintenance of Cantonese and MSC.
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