Dominant Language–Ethnicity Notions of the Malaysian Chinese in Sarawak: Paternity or Patrimony?
This study examines the relationship between language and ethnicity in the identities of Malaysian Chinese, using Fishman’s (1977) dimensions of paternity, patrimony and phenomenology. The data for the study were taken from language attitude questionnaires completed by 300 Chinese (150 Foochow, 150...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Routledge
2017
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| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/15333/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/15333/2/Dominant%20Language%20-%20Copy.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848837833065758720 |
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| author | Puah, Yann Yann Ting, Su Hie |
| author_facet | Puah, Yann Yann Ting, Su Hie |
| author_sort | Puah, Yann Yann |
| building | UNIMAS Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This study examines the relationship between language and ethnicity in the identities of Malaysian Chinese, using Fishman’s (1977) dimensions of paternity, patrimony and phenomenology. The data for the study were taken from language attitude questionnaires completed by 300 Chinese (150 Foochow, 150 Hokkien) and interviews with 18 participants (nine Foochow, nine Hokkien) living in Kuching, the capital city of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. The questionnaire results suggest that Chinese from the Foochow and Hokkien participant groups believe in both the paternity and patrimony dimensions of ethnicity, but the interview results also revealed a tendency towards viewing ethnicity as an inherited characteristic. Some are of the view that those who are of Foochow/Hokkien descent but cannot speak the ethnic language are “half Foochow/Hokkien”. The interview results also suggest that comparatively more Hokkien participants than Foochow participants may be inclined towards the patrimonial view of ethnicity. This finding is further supported by questionnaire results showing more frequent use of the ethnic language (Foochow/Hokkien) by the Hokkien than by the Foochow. Both sources of data provide evidence that Foochow and Hokkien in Malaysia use Mandarin for daily communication to a greater extent than their ethnic language. The findings indicate that ethnic language use is linked to conceptualisation of ethnicity |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T06:45:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | unimas-15333 |
| institution | Universiti Malaysia Sarawak |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T06:45:56Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Routledge |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | unimas-153332023-10-31T07:50:25Z http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/15333/ Dominant Language–Ethnicity Notions of the Malaysian Chinese in Sarawak: Paternity or Patrimony? Puah, Yann Yann Ting, Su Hie H Social Sciences (General) This study examines the relationship between language and ethnicity in the identities of Malaysian Chinese, using Fishman’s (1977) dimensions of paternity, patrimony and phenomenology. The data for the study were taken from language attitude questionnaires completed by 300 Chinese (150 Foochow, 150 Hokkien) and interviews with 18 participants (nine Foochow, nine Hokkien) living in Kuching, the capital city of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. The questionnaire results suggest that Chinese from the Foochow and Hokkien participant groups believe in both the paternity and patrimony dimensions of ethnicity, but the interview results also revealed a tendency towards viewing ethnicity as an inherited characteristic. Some are of the view that those who are of Foochow/Hokkien descent but cannot speak the ethnic language are “half Foochow/Hokkien”. The interview results also suggest that comparatively more Hokkien participants than Foochow participants may be inclined towards the patrimonial view of ethnicity. This finding is further supported by questionnaire results showing more frequent use of the ethnic language (Foochow/Hokkien) by the Hokkien than by the Foochow. Both sources of data provide evidence that Foochow and Hokkien in Malaysia use Mandarin for daily communication to a greater extent than their ethnic language. The findings indicate that ethnic language use is linked to conceptualisation of ethnicity Routledge 2017 Article PeerReviewed text en http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/15333/2/Dominant%20Language%20-%20Copy.pdf Puah, Yann Yann and Ting, Su Hie (2017) Dominant Language–Ethnicity Notions of the Malaysian Chinese in Sarawak: Paternity or Patrimony? Asian Studies Review, 41 (1). pp. 79-98. ISSN 10357823 https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84996602569&doi=10.1080%2f10357823.2016.1249340&partnerID=40&md5=1b65fe2b6134543b92027e9a60b60442 DOI: 10.1080/10357823.2016.1249340 |
| spellingShingle | H Social Sciences (General) Puah, Yann Yann Ting, Su Hie Dominant Language–Ethnicity Notions of the Malaysian Chinese in Sarawak: Paternity or Patrimony? |
| title | Dominant Language–Ethnicity Notions of the Malaysian Chinese in Sarawak: Paternity or Patrimony? |
| title_full | Dominant Language–Ethnicity Notions of the Malaysian Chinese in Sarawak: Paternity or Patrimony? |
| title_fullStr | Dominant Language–Ethnicity Notions of the Malaysian Chinese in Sarawak: Paternity or Patrimony? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dominant Language–Ethnicity Notions of the Malaysian Chinese in Sarawak: Paternity or Patrimony? |
| title_short | Dominant Language–Ethnicity Notions of the Malaysian Chinese in Sarawak: Paternity or Patrimony? |
| title_sort | dominant language–ethnicity notions of the malaysian chinese in sarawak: paternity or patrimony? |
| topic | H Social Sciences (General) |
| url | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/15333/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/15333/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/15333/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/15333/2/Dominant%20Language%20-%20Copy.pdf |