First language retention
Age differences
Across all languages, there is a broad pattern of higher level of first-language retention among older age groups.
In some cases the differences between close age groups are significant; for example, the proportion of Dutch young people who can hold an everyday conversation in Dutch more than doubles from the 12 to 24 age group (around 24 percent) to the 25 to 34 age group (around 55 percent).
Across all languages surveyed, the 65+ age group has the highest proportion of first-language speakers. People in these groups are more likely to have grown up in other countries and moved to New Zealand as adults.
| Age group | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 12 | 12-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ | |
| Samoan | 38.1% | 54.8% | 67.1% | 72.3% | 81.4% | 89.1% | 90.4% |
| Cook Island Maori | 4.3% | 7.7% | 17.3% | 24.5% | 36.8% | 51.1% | 60.5% |
| Tongan | 38.4% | 54.0% | 64.2% | 73.2% | 74.3% | 78.3% | 83.1% |
| Niuean | 7.3% | 13.3% | 27.4% | 37.3% | 47.3% | 60.2% | 69.2% |
| Tokelauan | 15.0% | 32.0% | 45.9% | 56.9% | 68.8% | 78.7% | 80.3% |
| Fijian | 11.0% | 20.9% | 30.4% | 39.6% | 40.9% | 47.5% | 50.8% |
| Chinese | 43.7% | 67.5% | 70.1% | 76.8% | 81.0% | 81.9% | 86.3% |
| Indian | 44.3% | 60.9% | 70.2% | 71.6% | 74.8% | 78.9% | 81.7% |
| Cambodian | 44.8% | 74.6% | 80.9% | 83.9% | 88.0% | 88.9% | 86.8% |
| Vietnamese | 49.6% | 68.7% | 74.4% | 84.1% | 85.3% | 81.6% | 90.2% |
| Korean | 73.7% | 84.2% | 82.2% | 88.0% | 90.3% | 87.8% | 87.8% |
| Dutch | 16.7% | 23.8% | 55.3% | 64.7% | 69.7% | 80.2% | 80.7% |
| Greek | 16.7% | 30.7% | 52.6% | 71.4% | 77.6% | 82.6% | 92.1% |
| Croatian | 15.3% | 43.3% | 51.8% | 64.0% | 74.1% | 77.7% | 84.1% |
| Italian | 10.4% | 15.2% | 39.3% | 51.0% | 49.5% | 58.8% | 80.4% |
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census. For information about language groupings, please see the Methodology report.
The same pattern is found on a smaller scale within the youth population.
Young people aged 20 to 24 are generally more likely to retain their first language than those aged 12 to 14, with the exception of those of Korean ethnicity.
Proportion of young people aged 12 to 24 who have retained their first language, by age and language, 2006
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census
