台灣原住民族語言活力：研究與推動

Abstract

以觀察台灣原住民族語流失狀況所進行之相關研究，係較晚近才受到關注，本文自國際語言活力研究趨勢切入，進而述及社會語言學式、民族學界以及本族人士對於此研究風向的相關討論，輔以學位論文的比較，以及政府部門的調查，主軸在於回顧原住民族語的活力評估相關論述及研究、報告等，希冀藉此了解台灣在族語活力評估研究上的歷程，俾作為後續相關研究的基礎。 綜觀本文所進行之研究回顧，筆者認為在社會語言學領域及民族學界都已漸將課題，朝向對民族語言復振及活力的關心上。有此轉變除了在經年的研究過程中，有鑑於族語的流失日趨嚴重，促使在研究的問題意識也從族語的本體上，延伸至族語的瀕危、轉語、教學、復振以至活力的評估等。相信在族語使用能力調查工作的持續行動下，亦能帶動更多對族語活力研究的關注與興趣，在多方激盪的研究成果累積後，或許能提出對語言活力評估的本土指標，作為語言復振工程的重要參考依據。

For the recent awareness of observing and doing researches on the progress of language loss of Taiwanese aboriginal peoples, this article approaches the topic from related studies of foreign research trend of language vitality to relative debates amongst scholars of sociolinguistics, ethnology, and the natives, respectively. Compared with academic theses and governmental reports of related inspections, mainly it reviews dissertations, researches, reports, and etc. which assess the vitality of aboriginal languages. Hopefully, it is enlightening about the research history of study of assessment of vitality of aboriginal languages, and the basis of further studies. Throughout literature review, it is believed that scholars of sociolinguistics and ethnology are gradually turning their concerns to language revitalization. Since the loss of aboriginal languages is getting more and more serious, seen from years of study, the focus of the study has shifted from the language itself to its endangered status, language shift, language teaching, revitalization, assessment of language vitality, and so on. Under continuous inspections of competence of aboriginal languages, we believe, more interests in the study of vitality of the languages will be intrigued. After more brainstorming expected from scholars, more studies conducted, and more discovery accumulated, we are looking forward to find the native and best-fitting criteria to assessment of language vitality, as a critical reference to language revitalization.