Nicola Daly
Hamilton, June 2, 2018
There are many factors that shape the value we place on different languages.
Some languages seem more pleasant to listen to, easier to learn or more logical.
These perceptions are generally influenced by our attitudes towards the speakers of a language and the different situations in which the language is spoken.
One reflection of the differential status of languages comes through in bilingual childrens picturebooks. Here, I explore how te reo Maori (the indigenous language of New Zealand) is represented and argue that the way languages are displayed in bilingual picturebooks can disrupt the status quo.
Linguistic landscapes
As a sociolinguist, I am interested in the representation of languages in bilingual picturebooks. This not only reflects existing attitudes towards languages, but can also be powerful in shaping future societal attitudes.
As well as telling a story or giving information, the presence of a minority language in a picture book can serve a symbolic function. The way in which languages are presented in bilingual childrens books may encourage readers to value a language, or perhaps use this language more frequently, thus positively affecting its vitality.
To show the different ways in which minority indigenous languages can be featured in childrens picturebooks, I examine the linguistic landscapes of some Maori-English picturebooks that are disrupting the status quo of language hierarchies.
Linguistic landscape is a term used to describe the (usually visual) presence of different languages in public spaces.
In my work with picturebooks, I use this term to describe the space occupied by languages within a book. Language hierarchies relate to the idea that in any society some languages have more status than others.
I use these concepts to examine the comparative presentation of different languages in three areas: which language is presented first, which language uses a bigger font, and which language presents more information.
I argue that these three factors are reflections of the relative status of languages in a bilingual picture book and they subtly indicate to the reader which language is more important.
Overturning hierarchies
In Aotearoa/New Zealand, the indigenous Maori language (te reo Maori) has official language status, but it is spoken by a minority of the population (3.73% of the total population and 21.3% of the Maori population).
However, some bilingual picturebooks have opted to assign primary status to te reo Maori in terms of order and font size.
Childrens picturebooks are often underestimated, but some bilingual picturebooks disrupt the status quo and promote an alternative language hierarchy.
For example, Kakahu – Getting Dressed (Brown & Parkinson, 2015) is a board book in a series self-published purposefully by Reo Pepi to encourage the use of te reo Maori with young children. On its front cover, the Maori word in the title (Kakahu) is much larger than the English (Getting Dressed).
Privileged Maori
In the body of the book, Maori is privileged in several ways.
Maori is given first on the page, with English underneath; Maori is presented in a much larger font size than English; and Maori is given in a bold typeface, whereas English is given in normal typeface.
Te Wairua o Waitangi, which can be translated as The Spirit of Waitangi, is also a part of a self-published series, written by Sharon Holt and designed to support teachers to bring te reo Mori into English medium classrooms via song.
This book (and others in the Te Reo Singalong series) features a brightly coloured title in te reo Mori only. It is bigger and more bold than any other writing (in English) on the cover.
The first few pages before the body of the story feature publishing information, a translation of the lyrics, and teaching notes for teachers in English.
However, in the body of the book, only te reo Maori is used. At the back of the book, the lyrics for the song are given in Mori only with guitar chords. The picture book includes a CD recording of the song, which also features a title in Mori and not English.
The power of the Picture Book
The many different factors that influence the status of a language are often inter-related, but if a language is not valued, this may lead to people using it in fewer situations, and even to its eventual demise.
The two picturebooks, I have discussed illustrate how an often underestimated form of childrens literature can be used to support an indigenous language with a minority of speakers. Children and adults reading and listening to these books will see, albeit subconsciously, which language is being given higher status.
In this way, new language attitudes are being formed and this may result in the adjustment of existing language hierarchies.
Nicola Daly is Senior lecturer in Childrens Literature and Language Teaching at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand. A Disclosure Statement said that she does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. The above article, which appeared under The Conversation (Australia) on June 2, 2018, has been reproduced here under Creative Commons Licence.
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Images Courtesy: Nicola Daly
