Key points
First language is the term used to describe a non-English language associated with a given ethnic group. Due to some ethnic groups having a large number of first languages, for example Chinese and Indian, some ethnic groups have more than one first language. This indicator looks at the number of Census respondents who can have “a conversation about every day things” in the language that is clearly associated with their ethnicity. Language is an important part of an ethnic group’s cultural identity. It is embedded with the values, beliefs and norms of the groups who use it.
- In 2006 at the national level, the proportion of people who could hold everyday conversations in the first language of their ethnic groups varied widely between ethnic groups, from 16% of Cook Islands Maori to 84% of Koreans.
- Between 2001 and 2006, most ethnic groups experienced little change in the proportion of people who could speak their first language, although there were slight increases for Tongan, Indian and Korean ethnic groups and slight decreases for most Pacific and European ethnic groups.
- The Waikato Region average was 52% in 2006, up slightly from 48% in 2001. Just under 60% of people in Matamata-Piako District could speak the 'first language' of their ethnic group in 2006, the second highest percentage of all the territorial authorities in the region.
Proportion of people who can speak a ‘first language’ (excluding English) of their ethnic group, for ethnic groups (other than Maori) – Waikato Region and territorial authorities 2001 and 2006
Source: Statistics New Zealand Census/MSD Social Report
What agencies are doing
Information currently being collated.
What you can do to help
Information currently being collated.
More information
More detail on this indicator, including how and where this information is collected, is available here.
What we want to achieve
The community outcome we are seeking to achieve by increasing the proportion of the population that speak the ‘first language’ of their ethnic group is:
- We are proud of our region’s distinctive identity, its strong Maoritanga, and its rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage.