Language and identity in East Timor: the discourses of nation building

Article


Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2008. "Language and identity in East Timor: the discourses of nation building." Language Problems and Language Planning. 32 (2), pp. 153-180. https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.32.1.04tay
Article Title

Language and identity in East Timor: the discourses of nation building

ERA Journal ID9359
Article CategoryArticle
Authors
AuthorTaylor-Leech, Kerry
Journal TitleLanguage Problems and Language Planning
Journal Citation32 (2), pp. 153-180
Number of Pages28
Year2008
Place of PublicationAmsterdam, Netherlands
ISSN0272-2690
1569-9889
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.32.1.04tay
Web Address (URL)http://www.benjamins.com
Abstract

Language choice in the newly independent Republic of East Timor can be usefully examined in the wider context of language policy in multilingual states. The present article reports on ethnographic research investigating official and popular discourses of language and identity in East Timor and the role of past and present language policies and practices in shaping national and social identity. It focuses on the discursive reconstruction of identity through five official instruments of language policy development. Hostile discourses in the Australian and Indonesian press towards the choice of Portuguese (the former colonial language) and Tetum (the endogenous lingua franca) as official languages provided the context for the investigation. A persistent theme in these discourses is that English and/or Indonesian would be preferable choices. The article puts these discourses into perspective by presenting findings from two data sets: (i) the 2004 National Census and (ii) analysis of the discourses of 78 participants in semi-structured interviews and student focus groups. The census shows clear signs of the revival of Portuguese and the reinvigoration of Tetum. It also shows how diverse linguistic identities have become in East Timor. The research findings show that there is less hostility to official language policy than claimed in the Australian and Indonesian press. However, the findings also emphasise the urgent need to reconstruct an inclusive, plurilingual national identity that can encompass diversity. Iha artigu ida-ne'e ha'u hakerek kona-ba regulamentu lian nian iha Timor-Leste. Iha ha'u-nia peskiza ne'e, ha'u investiga liders sira nia opiniaun no ema-hotu sira nia identidade nia lian. Ha'u hakerek mós kona-ba maneiras ne'ebé, regulamentu lian nian no prátika horiuluk nian, no tempu dadaun ne'e forma hela timor-oan sira nia identidade. Iha peskiza ne'e, ha'u mós diskute kona-ba instrumentu ofisiál lima nian, kona-ba regulamentu lian nian no halonu'usá mak instrumentu ofisiál lima ne'e, bele harii Timor-oan sira nia identidade. Ha'u mós koa'lia kona-ba bua negativus ne'ebé Australia no Indonézia sira nia jornál ko'alia kona-ba regulamentu lian nian iha Timor-Leste. Austrália no Indonézia nia jornál sira, dehan katak lian-Inglés mak di'ak liu atu sai lian ofisiál iha Timor-Leste. Iha peskiza ne'e, ha'u hatudu dadus rua: sensu nasionál husi tinan 2004 no mós husi entrevista ne'ebé ha'u halo ho grupus estudantes nian ho ema 78. Sensu hira ne'e, hatudu katak lian-Portugés no Tetum mak bainbain ema uza liu iha Timor-Leste. Maibé, sensu hirak ne'e mós hatudu katak Timor-oan sira nia identidade oin-oion liu duké horiuluk. Rezultadus husi ha'u-nia entrevista, hatudu katak timor-oan sira nia atitude kona-ba regulamentu lian nian menus negativu duké Australia no Indonézia sira nia jornál. Maibé iha ha'u-nia rezultadus, mós hatudu katak importante tebes atu harii identidade nasionál, ne'ebé bele loke tan dalan ba Timor-oan sira atu hatudu sai sira-nia identidade oin-oin. Oni povas utile ekzameni lingvoelekton en la nove sendependa Respubliko de Orienta Timoro en la pli vasta kunteksto de lingvopolitiko en multlingvaj ŝtatoj. La nuna artikolo raportas pri etnografaj esploroj pri oficialaj kaj popularaj diskursoj de lingvo kaj identeco en Orienta Timoro kaj la rolo de antauaj kaj nunaj lingvaj politikoj kaj praktikoj en formado de nacia kaj socia identeco. Ĝi fokusiĝas je la diskursa rekonstruo de identeco tra kvin oficialaj instrumentoj por lingvopolitika evoluigo. Malamikaj diskursoj en la australia kaj indonezia gazetaro rilate la elekton de la portugala (la iama kolonia lingvo) kaj la tetuma (la endogena interlingvo) kiel oficialaj lingvoj liveris kuntekston por la esploroj. Daura temo en tiuj diskursoj estas tio, ke la angla kaj/au; la indonezia estus preferindaj elektoj. La artikolo metas tiujn diskursojn en perspektivon per prezento de rezultoj de du datenokompletoj: (i) la Nacia Censo de 2004 kaj (ii) analizo de la diskursoj de 78 partoprenantoj en duonstrukturitaj intervjuoj kaj studentaj fokusogrupoj. La censo montras klarajn signojn de reviviĝo de la portugala kaj revigliĝo de la tetuma. Ĝi ankau montras, ke ekzistas malpli da kontrauado de oficiala lingvopolitiko ol pretendas la australia kaj indonezia gazetaro. Tamen, la rezultoj ankau substrekas urĝan bezonon konstrui inkluzivan, plurlingvan nacian identecon, kiu povas ĉirkaubraki diversecon.

Portugese
Neste artigo analisa-se a escolha linguística levada a cabo na recentemente independente República de Timor-Leste, no contexto mais vasto da política linguística em estados multilíngues. O trabalho reporta-se aos aspectos da pesquisa etnográfica levada a cabo sobre os debates oficiais e populares sobre a língua e identidade. Nele são discutidos o papel actual e passado das políticas e práticas linguísticas na formação da identidade nacional e social. Concentra-se na reconstrução discursiva da identidade através de cinco instrumentos oficiais do desenvolvimento da política linguística. Debates hostis veiculados pela imprensa Australiana e Indonésia sobre a escolha do Português (a antiga língua colonial) e do Tétum (a língua indígena franca) como línguas oficiais serviram de pano de fundo para a investigação. O tema prevalente nestes debates era a decisão sobre se as escolhas preferíveis não seriam o Inglês ou o Indonésio. De modo a por estes debates em perspectiva, foram apresentados dois conjuntos de dados: os do Recenseamento Nacional de 2004 e os da análise decorrentes dos debates nos quais tomaram parte 78 participantes através de entrevistas semi-estruturadas e grupos alvo de estudantes. O recenseamento mostra, claramente, sinais de reavivamento do Português e de robustecimento do Tétum. Também demonstra a diversidade assumida pelas identidades linguísticas em Timor-Leste. As conclusões demonstram que existe menos hostilidade quanto à política linguística do que a reinvindicada pela imprensa Australiana e Indonésia. Contudo, as conclusões também enfatizam a urgência da reconstrução de uma identidade nacional inclusiva e multilíngue que possa ter em conta a diversidade.

KeywordsTimor Leste; language policy; language practices; multilingualism; diglossia; official languages; national languages; national identity; Tetum; Portuguese language; Indonesian language
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020470201. Arts and cultural policy
470411. Sociolinguistics
440105. Linguistic anthropology
Public Notes

Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions.

Byline AffiliationsMacquarie University
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/9z915/language-and-identity-in-east-timor-the-discourses-of-nation-building

  • 2237
    total views
  • 12
    total downloads
  • 2
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Co-creating affirmative transitions for children with refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds
Tualaulelei, Eseta, Taylor-Leech, Kerry and Homer, Diana. 2024. "Co-creating affirmative transitions for children with refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds." 2024 Australasian Journal of Early Childhood (AJEC) Research Symposium . 08 - 09 Feb 2024 Australia.
Trauma-informed, healing-centred: Co-creating affirmative environments for migrant and refugee children and families
Tualaulelei, Eseta, Taylor-Leech, Kerry and Fluckiger, Bev. 2023. "Trauma-informed, healing-centred: Co-creating affirmative environments for migrant and refugee children and families." ASSIST Journal. 3 (2), pp. 5-17.
Co-creating affirmative learning environments for refugee and asylum-seeker children
Taylor-Leech, Kerry, Tualaulelei, Eseta, Fluckiger, Bev and Waite, Michaela. 2023. Co-creating affirmative learning environments for refugee and asylum-seeker children. Australia. Griffith Institute for Educational Research.
Knowing who you are: Heritage language, identity and safe space in a bilingual kindergarten
Taylor-Leech, Kerry and Tualaulelei, Eseta. 2021. "Knowing who you are: Heritage language, identity and safe space in a bilingual kindergarten." Tesol in Context. 30 (1), pp. 63-83. https://doi.org/10.21153/tesol2021vol30no1art1581
Supporting early years transitions for children with refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds: A scoping review
Tualaulelei, Eseta, Taylor-Leech, Kerry and Fluckiger, Bev. 2022. "Supporting early years transitions for children with refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds: A scoping review." Early Childhood Voices Conference (ECV2022). Bathurst, Australia 05 - 09 Dec 2022 Australia.
Building positive identities in a culturally safe space: an ethnographic case study from Queensland, Australia
Tualaulelei, Eseta and Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2021. "Building positive identities in a culturally safe space: an ethnographic case study from Queensland, Australia." Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education. 15 (2), pp. 137-149. https://doi.org/10.1080/15595692.2020.1852545
Amata lelei a'oga amata (A good start to learning): project summary report 27 August 2018 - 31 March 2019
Taylor-Leech, Kerry, Tualaulelei, Eseta and Krajcovicova, Monika. 2019. Amata lelei a'oga amata (A good start to learning): project summary report 27 August 2018 - 31 March 2019. Brisbane, Australia. Griffith University.
Nicknames in Australian secondary schools: insights into nicknames and adolescent views of self
Starks, Donna, Taylor-Leech, Kerry and Willoughby, Louisa. 2012. "Nicknames in Australian secondary schools: insights into nicknames and adolescent views of self." Ponsonnet, Maia, Dao, Loan and Bowler, Margit (ed.) 42nd Australian Linguistics Society Conference (ALS 2011): Applied Linguistics as a Meeting Place. Canberra, Australia 01 - 04 Dec 2011 Canberra, Australia.
Transnational literacies: second language literacy development in immigrant families of non english-speaking background
Taylor-Leech, Kerry Jane. 2012. "Transnational literacies: second language literacy development in immigrant families of non english-speaking background ." Ponsonnet, Maia, Dao, Loan and Bowler, Margit (ed.) 42nd Australian Linguistics Society Conference (ALS 2011): Applied Linguistics as a Meeting Place. Canberra, Australia 01 - 04 Dec 2011 Canberra, Australia.
Nicknames in Australian secondary schools: insights into nicknames and adolescent views of self
Starks, Donna, Taylor-Leech, Kerry Jane and Willoughby, Louisa. 2012. "Nicknames in Australian secondary schools: insights into nicknames and adolescent views of self ." Names: a journal of onomastics. 60 (3), pp. 135-149. https://doi.org/10.1179/0027773812Z.00000000019
Timor-Leste: finding appropriate spaces for indigenous vernacular languages in education
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2011. "Timor-Leste: finding appropriate spaces for indigenous vernacular languages in education ." May, Stephen (ed.) 3rd International Conference on Language, Education and Diversity (LED 2011). Auckland, New Zealand 22 - 25 Nov 2011 Auckland, New Zealand.
Mother tongue-based multilingual education for Timor-Leste: a new direction for language-in-education
Caet, Agustinho and Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2012. "Mother tongue-based multilingual education for Timor-Leste: a new direction for language-in-education ." Leach, Michael, Mendes, Nuno Canas, da Silva, Antero B., Boughton, Bob and Ximenes, Alarico da Costa (ed.) TLSA 2011: 3rd Timor-Leste Studies Association Conference: Communicating New Research on Timor-Leste . Dili, Timor-Leste 30 Jun - 01 Jul 2011 Melbourne, Australia.
Language choice as an index of identity: linguistic landscape in Dili, Timor-Leste
Taylor-Leech, Kerry Jane. 2012. "Language choice as an index of identity: linguistic landscape in Dili, Timor-Leste." International Journal of Multilingualism. 9 (1), pp. 15-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/14790718.2011.583654
Now my hope is clear for building my future. How two young refugees build social connectedness
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2011. "Now my hope is clear for building my future. How two young refugees build social connectedness." Dashwood, Ann and Son, Jeong-Bae (ed.) Language, culture and social connectedness. Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 115-135
Language and identity in Timor-Leste
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2007. "Language and identity in Timor-Leste." Bardovi-Harlig, Kathleen (ed.) AAAL 2007 Annual Conference of the American Association of Applied Linguistics. Costa Mesa, California 21 - 24 Apr 2007 Marietta, GA. United States.
An introduction to language policy: theory and method by Thomas Ricento
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2008. "An introduction to language policy: theory and method by Thomas Ricento ." Current Issues in Language Planning. 9 (2), pp. 228-230. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664200802139513
Language, Culture and Identity by Philip Riley
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2009. "Language, Culture and Identity by Philip Riley ." Discourse and Communication. 3 (1), pp. 108-111. https://doi.org/10.1177/17504813090030010503
Issues in language planning and literacy by A. J. Liddicoat
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2009. "Issues in language planning and literacy by A. J. Liddicoat." Australian Review of Applied Linguistics. 32 (2), pp. 18.1-18.4. https://doi.org/10.2104/aral0918
The language situation in Timor-Leste
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2011. "The language situation in Timor-Leste." Kaplan, Robert B. and Baldauf Jr., Richard B. (ed.) Language planning in the Asia Pacific: Hong Kong, Timor-Leste and Sri Lanka. Oxford, United Kingdom. Routledge. pp. 92-159
Timor-Leste: sustaining and maintaining the national languages in education
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2011. "Timor-Leste: sustaining and maintaining the national languages in education." Current Issues in Language Planning. 12 (2), pp. 289-308. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2011.589108
Multilingual Europe: Facts and Policies by Guus Extra and Durk Gorter
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2010. "Multilingual Europe: Facts and Policies by Guus Extra and Durk Gorter ." Language Policy. 9 (4), pp. 367-369. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10993-010-9172-5
A mind-boggling, head-banging decision? Popular language policy discourses in East Timor
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2007. "A mind-boggling, head-banging decision? Popular language policy discourses in East Timor." ALAA 2007: Making a Difference - Challenges for Applied Linguistics. Wollongong, Australia 01 - 03 Jul 2007 Melbourne, Australia.
The global versus the local in East Timorese language policy and planning
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2006. "The global versus the local in East Timorese language policy and planning." 31st Annual Congress of the Applied Linguistics Association of Australia: Language and Languages: Global and Local Tensions. Brisbane, Australia 05 - 08 Jul 2006 Melbourne, Australia.
An impartial observer or an impassioned advocate? Researching language policy in East Timor
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2008. "An impartial observer or an impassioned advocate? Researching language policy in East Timor." Linguistics Research Seminar Series 2008. Sydney, Australia 31 Mar 2008 Sydney, Australia.
Pendulum swings in Australian language policy and planning since the 1990s
Taylor-Leech, Kerry and Baldauf Jr., Richard B.. 2010. "Pendulum swings in Australian language policy and planning since the 1990s." Baldauf, R. and Gitsaki, Christina (ed.) ALAA 2010: Future Directions in Applied Linguistics: Local and Global Perspectives. Brisbane, Australia 04 - 07 Jul 2010 Melbourne, Australia.
Perceptions of diversity in Australian language policy and planning since the 1990s
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2010. "Perceptions of diversity in Australian language policy and planning since the 1990s." Hayes, Anna and Mason, Robert (ed.) Migrant Security 2010: Citizenship and Social Inclusion in a Transnational Era. Toowoomba, Australia 15 - 16 Jul 2010 Toowoomba, Australia.
Issues and challenges in language policy research in Timor-Leste
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2008. "Issues and challenges in language policy research in Timor-Leste." AILA 2008: Multilingulaism: Challenges and Opportunities. Essen, Germany 24 - 29 Aug 2008 Essen, Germany.
Sustaining language policy and language rights in East Timor: where to from here?
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2007. "Sustaining language policy and language rights in East Timor: where to from here?" Kingsbury, Damien and Leach, Michael (ed.) East Timor: beyond independence. Melbourne, Australia. Monash University Publishing. pp. 239-249
The ecology of language reform in Timor-Leste: a language rights perspective
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2005. "The ecology of language reform in Timor-Leste: a language rights perspective." Studies in Languages and Cultures of East Timor. 7, pp. 13-35.
The ecology of language planning in Timor-Leste
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2005. "The ecology of language planning in Timor-Leste." Development Bulletin (Canberra).
The language situation in Timor-Leste
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2009. "The language situation in Timor-Leste." Current Issues in Language Planning. 10 (1), pp. 1-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664200802339840
Quick-fix English: discontinuities in a language development aid project
Taylor-Leech, Kerry. 2009. "Quick-fix English: discontinuities in a language development aid project." English Teaching: Practice and Critique. 8 (1), pp. 97-111.