NYCSEA

Abstract: This research examines Taiwan's 2017 Indigenous Languages Development Act from two perspectives: as a decolonial intervention and as an ongoing negotiation between policy and practice. The study uses linguistic anthropology and decolonial theory to examine how the Act fights against indigenous language suppression, which occurred during two colonial periods under Japanese rule (1895–1945) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Mandarinization (1945–1987). The three main obstacles to language revitalization include unequal resource distribution and dialectical hierarchies, and intergenerational knowledge gaps. The research shows that the Act provides essential symbolic value and financial support yet its centralized approach maintains colonial power structures. The research supports that complete decolonization needs a complete change of authority which should transfer decision-making authority to Indigenous institutions. The implementation of this change would make Taiwan's language preservation initiatives match international standards for developing self-sustaining community-based language protection initiatives.

Studies show that laws face major obstacles in practice. The Act established Indigenous languages as national languages and increased funding for immersion schools and media programs. However, core barriers remain. Three structural problems block progress: the resource system favors urban areas over remote regions; standardized dialects are prioritized over local ones; and knowledge gaps separate fluent elders from certified teachers. The implementation of policies to fight linguistic colonialism ends up sustaining its core principles because they focus on administrative efficiency instead of respecting community knowledge systems.

The research further reveals that authentic revitalization needs three fundamental changes which include (1) redistributing linguistic authority and power and (2) adopting dialectal pluralism instead of standardization and (3) establishing relational sovereignty that enables Indigenous communities to direct state institutional priorities. The research delivers vital knowledge for worldwide decolonization efforts because it shows that successful language policies need continuous management of power dynamics to prevent the creation of new colonial systems.

References

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