Cook Islands Official Languages English

Sociolinguistic situation in the Cook Islands

Rarotonga in April 2013, led and planned by Roderick Dixon, Director of the University of the South Pacific in the Cook Islands: Lecturer in Language Development and Revitalisation, School of Eastern and African Studies, University of London. We have anecdotic accounts that English is beginning to substitute Maori in Rarotonga and on the other islands.

So far there are hardly any studies on sociolinguistics, so it is not clear to what degree and in which areas of everyday existence a change of languages takes place. The official document of the Maori Te Reo emphasizes its importance for the preservation of culture and the strengthening of the nationality of the Cook Islands. The Te Reo Maori Act 2003 is aimed at creating a common set of standards despite the differences between the islands.

A few informers would rather see the diversity of each of the islands as a separate one. How common are speech mix es and leveling of dialects in view of the perceptual lag? Approximately 90 percent of Cook Islanders are thought to be living abroad, mainly in English-speaking states. The change of languages among expats is indigenous, but some want to learn their own languages (again).

The official educational system encourages bilinguality and bilinguality, but there are doubts as to how effectively this system will be implemented. Specifically, it seems that the instructors are not qualified to instruct Maori. It' s not clear if there is a possibility to give Maori a second language/foreign one. Linguistic politics often focuses on learning, but it is important to encourage the possibility of speaking the country's languages outside class.

Sound recording from the 70s is currently being digitized in New Zealand on commission from the Voice Commission. Gathering larger amounts of Te Reo Maori in daily environments would be invaluable, while it is still a crucial common currency. A number of people on the island have requested to have the mission files filed in London returned (a listing is attached).

The results of research would be of relevance to the regional environment and would therefore have a higher degree of validation and dependability as well as a beneficial influence on linguistic policy and plan.