Preserving and Promoting Tay Ethnic Language in Cao Bang Province in the Doi Moi Period

Abstract

Vietnam is a multi-ethnic and multilingual country. Apart from Vietnamese, which is the common language, most ethnic minorities have their own languages. Language, which includes spoken and written languages, is an essential component of culture, enabling thinking, communication, expression, and preservation of cultural values. Together with labour, it forms the material and spiritual values of culture. Spoken and written languages are considered the soul of an ethnic group, and losing the mother tongue poses a threat to cultural identity. In the current context, ethnic languages are at risk of being lost, and some ethnic minorities are illiterate or cannot speak their mother tongue. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve and promote the Tay ethnic language in Cao Bang to safeguard the cultural identity of the Tay ethnic group during the renovation period.