NZ Greek Community

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The New Zealand Greek Community
Maria Verivaki

History
Methodological Issues
Proficiency
Use
Atttitudes

The NZ Greek Community (5000 est)

• Wellington Base
• Chain Migration
• Strong Social Networks

History

• 1872 (42 Greeks in Otago)
• WWI-WII (Expanded emigrated from all parts of Greece- restaurant-trade)
• Post-WWII Contract work/forestry
• hydro-plants (males)
• 1962 Female domestics (267-Crete)

Greek Identity (McNeil 1982)

• Language
• Family
• Church (Greek Orthodox)
• Food
• Festivals (Greek National Day Oct 28)
• Community Organisations etc

Methodological Considerations

• Sociolinguistic Interview
• Generational Groupings

Foreign born (1^st )
1b. Foreign born (10 years)
Native born (2^nd)
Native born to Native born (3^rd)

Variables

• Generation, Age, Gender, Spouse
• Visits to Greece, Attendance at Greek Orthodox Services
• Occupation, Participation in Greek activities, Attendance at Greek School

Proficiency

• More than ½ community claimed high speaking and listening skills
• No one claimed no speaking ability
• Listening> Speaking> Reading> Writing

Proficiency Factors

• Age
• Visits to Greece
• Church Attendance
• Attendance at Greek Language School

Language Use

• Greek used more often than English
• Consistent Language use to Interlocutors
• Evidence of Age Grading

More Greek to Older Generations
More Evidence of Shift amongst same and younger generations
More Greek by Gen 1>Gen 2>Gen 3
Faster rate of shift between Gen 1 and 2
Opposing Patterns of Lg Use for Gen 1 and 2

Other Findings

• Patterns apply to family and non-family members
• The better speakers of Greek, the more they use Greek
• Home is one of the few language environments that favours the use of Greek

Gender & Age

• Females use more Greek when talking to Children
• Younger members of Gen 2 use more Greek with their children (WHY!!)
• Gen 1 use mainly Greek to all interlocutors, while Gen 2 use less Greek (and more English to NZ born Greeks)
• Gen 2 use more Greek more to other People s children than their own

Attitudes

• Greek Rude: Everyone has some knowledge of English
• Gen 1 and 2 differ in this respect