Abstract
Abstract This study examines the extent to which language shift occurred in the Minnan and Hakka areas of Hsinchu, Taiwan, by comparing Marinus van den Berg’s findings (1986) with our own more recent observations. In 1978, van den Berg found that customers in the Minnan area used Taiwan Mandarin more than customers in the Hakka area during business transactions. Our observations in 2015 had the opposite results, with Taiwan Mandarin being spoken more in the Hakka area than in the Minnan area. The reason for this change is seen to be the expansion of people’s living environment, reducing the opportunities for Hakka people to speak their own language when encountering people of other ethnicities. Additionally, as a minority, the Hakka people were more sensitive towards language use, that is, were likely to use high-level languages or standard languages that were more valued by society.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
