Pacific Englishes

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Introduction

• New Zealand English based largely on Pakeha norms
• increasing emphasis on Maori English
• no research on other varieties (e.g. Pasifika Englishes) and their relationship to

Pakeha and Maori English Post-vocalic r (PVR)

• 58 potential tokens (N=2269) Low percentage of PVR (3.6%)
• Considerable variation across individuals 0-22 realised tokens of PVR use per reading
• Use in varied phonological environments (e.g. far, mother, bear)

Weak relationship between wanting to sound like an American and PVR use

 
Pasifika English and PVR?
    Pasifika students 4.3%
    Maori students 1.1%

DH

• 33 potential tokens (N=1312)
• Low percentage of vernacular forms (7.7%)
• Limited realised tokens per individual
     Greater use of [d] than [v]

Use in particular lexical environments
   [v] with
  [d]  the, them, these, there

Pasifika Englishes and DH vernacular use
    Pasifika students 10%
    Maori students 1.1%

TH

• 14 potential tokens (N=537)
• High percentage of vernacular forms (47.6%)
• Considerable variation across individuals (0-14 realised tokens of [f])

Use in particular environments (e.g. teeth)

Pasifika Englishes and TH[T ] use   

    Pasifika students 49.2%
    Maori students 1o%


Summary

• Greater use of vernacular variants amongst Pasifika students

Some similarities & some differences with Maori English

Comparison of Vernacular use by Pasifika and Maori Students

Pan-ethnic labels
Is there such an entity as "Pasifika English"?

PVR
Range:
Cook Islands 0%
Niueans 3.2%
Samoans 6.6%
Tongans 8.1%

DH: Use of vernacular variants across the four communities
Range:
Samoan 5.6%
Niuean 5.8%
Tongan 8.8%
Cook Islands 12.7%

Comparison of vernacular variants across the four Pasifika communities

TH: Use of vernacular variants across the four communities
Range:
Cook Islands 26.1%
Samoan 39.3%
Niuean 56.4%
Tongan 66.6%

[f] most common vernacular variant in all student groups

Emerging Theoretical Issues

• Conflicting identities & their conflicting linguistic expressions
• The role of transfer features in expressions of identity
• The possibility of Pasifika Englishes as a potential source of innovation in NZE

The relationship between NZ and island varieties of English?

Other variables of interest

• Consonants
  t-flapping and t-glottaling
  l-vocalisation
  CCR reduction
• Vowels
  AIR vowel
  DRESS and TRAP vowels
  KIT vowel
  GOAT vowel
• Morpho-phonology
  CausId