Tamil in Melbourne

摘要

There have been few Australian studies of language maintenance amongst immigrant languages from the Indian subcontinent. The present study focuses on Tamil speakers in Melbourne from Sri Lanka or India, who are Hindus or Christians. Tamil is a pluricentric language that has been under the domination of English in these countries, at least amongst the more educated classes. The study explores the complex interplay of factors including country of origin, religious affiliation, level of education, medium of instruction, previous experience with English, attitudinal and sociohistorical factors, all of which interact to influence language use patterns. The data consist of interviews with 16 two- and three-generation Sri Lankan and Indian families, supplemented by focus groups comprising representatives of Tamil-speaking organisations and religious leaders. The study describes considerable variation in patterns of language use and attitudes to the maintenance of Tamil amongst these families. It highlights the diversity and complexity of individual responses to various combinations of factors.