Community and Family Based Language Policy: An Angor Case Study

Papua New Guinea (PNG) tops the list of nations in the world in the 1) number of languages with over 800 (Grimes 2000), 2) in language diversity in terms of linguistic groups, and 3) in the number of languages used in basic education. In 1980 a basic vernacular education movement started with two languages under the policy of the North Solomons Provincial government. That movement has grown until today there are over 350 language communities using vernacular languages for basic education under the national education policy. This could be one of the most amazing language planning success stories of the 20th century! And if it continues, it could go down in the annals of language planning successes along side the story of the revitalisation of the dead language Hebrew to become the vibrant language of a modern state.1 PNG not only tops the list of nations in terms of language diversity but also is high on the list of those with endangered languages. However, PNG’s provernacular language policy has introduced a new element into the environmental study of language maintenance and death. Consequently the country is becoming