What is this article about?
...about "positioning historical roots and contemporary languages and cultures as valuable development tools for island inter-connectivity across the Pacific..."
In the scientific jargon...
In common words...
...about the role of old languages in the modern world
Taiwan's linguistic link
- origin of the Austronesian languages
- development of Neolithic cultures in Taiwan since 6,500 years and their spread by sea into southern direction
- formation of the Austronesian Language Family (ALF)
- genes or languages of prehistoric Taiwanese aboriginal tribes?
- recognition of the ALF in 19th century
- the ALF as the largest & most widely-extended group of languages in the world
- 14 ethnic groups speaking different Austronesian languages (2%)
Sundaland
(a land which today is gone below the sea)
the Austronesian Language Family
Map of Taiwan indigenous languages and cultures
How Japanese viewed Taiwan's peoples?
- on the western side of the line - the "cooked" peoples
- on the eastern side - the "raw" peoples
What did Japan's colonial rule in Taiwan bring to its people?
one island
Old languages - new political games
- revitalization of these 14 languages initiated by the DPP
- the Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit (2006, 2007, 2009)
- President Ma Ying-jiu - to buid "even-more-important" community
- Austronesian Forum in 2002 in Taipei (MI, SI, P, K, T, N)
- President Chen Shui-bian - to build "democratic community"
The author implies that aboriginal languages serve as a tool for developing collaboration between Taiwan and Pacific island-nations.
But I think that this common linguistic heritage was rather used as a tool for developing such kind of political rhetoric that allowed Taiwan's governments to manipulate the issue of Taiwan aboriginal people with the purpose of elevating Taiwan's international stature.
Therefore, I argue that in the end these were the interests of ordinary people that were used as a tool.
What's your take?
Taiwan Austronesian Language Heritage (By D. Blundell) - ppt by Piotr Kurczewski
By roninhoodi
