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Article published In: Linguistic Landscape
Vol. 11:3 (2025) ► pp.233–264

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« Nana sacs plastiques »

Discourses of minority language vitality in Tahiti, French Polynesia

ORCiD logo with link | University of Warwick
Published online: 1 April 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ll.24067.amo
Abstract
This article explores the French overseas territory of French Polynesia, specifically the island of Tahiti and its capital, Pape‘ete. Through a qualitative analysis of the LL, it is argued that the visibility of Tahitian exceeds the domains typically associated with French regional languages. Following a brief contextualization of the territory and its languages, the themes of centre-periphery dynamics, environmental discourse, public health discourse, and linguistic commodification are discussed. These are cross-examined with various signs in the LL which demonstrate that, in addition to its commodification for visitors, Tahitian plays an important and multifarious role in the everyday lives of local people. The article further argues that Tahitian occupies different types of space that are not traditionally associated with peripheral languages. Concurrently, this calls for a re-evaluation of Tahitian — and, by extension, of Tahiti and French Polynesia at large — as peripheral to mainland France.
Ha’apotora’a
E tuatāpapara’a teie nō ni’a i te fenua ‘aihu’arā’au farāni ra ‘o Tahiti, ‘e tōna ‘oire pū ‘oia ho’i, ‘o Papeete. ‘Ia hi’ohia te mau paruai i reira, e fa’a’ohipahia te reo tahiti nō te mau tumu parau huru rau, e tae roa atu i vetahi tei ‘ore i mātauhia i te tātara nā roto i te tahi atu mau reo vaefenua farāni. I roto i teie pāpa’i, e vauvauhia atu nā mua roa i te tahi parau poto nō ni’a i teie fenua ‘e tōna mau reo mā’ohi, hou ‘a tātarahia atu ai e 4 tumu parau : tō te « Hau metua » ‘e te « Hau fenua » ‘atira’a, tō te arutaimareva ‘ihi parau, tō te ea ‘ihi parau, ‘e te fa’a’ohipara’a i te reo ‘ei ‘imira’a faufa’a. E ferurihia teie nau tumu parau nā roto i te tuatāpapara’a i te reo tahiti o teie mau paruai ‘ei moiha’a fa’a’onara’a i te ‘imira’a faufa’a fa’ari’ira’a rātere, ‘e hau atu ā, ‘ei moiha’a faufa’a i roto i te orara’a o te nūna’a mā’ohi. E ha’apāpū ato’a mai teie pāpa’i iti i te vaira’a o te reo tahiti i te tahi mau vāhi, ‘o tā te toe’a o te mau reo ‘aihu’arā’au farāni e ‘ore ra e ti’a atu. Nō reira, e tano paha ‘ia tuatāpapa-fa’ahou-hia te parau o te reo tahiti — ‘e hau atu , te ti’ara’a o Tahiti ‘e o Porinetia farāni — ‘ei reo ‘aihu’arā’au o te fenua farāni.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Contexts
    • 2.1French Polynesia
    • 2.2Language in French Polynesia
    • 2.3Vitality at the Periphery
    • 2.4Environmental discourse
    • 2.5Health and commercial vitality
  • 3.Tahitian in the LL
    • 3.1The natural environment
    • 3.2Health
    • 3.3Commerce
  • 4.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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