2023 Review of Australian Standard Classification of Languages (ASCL)

1. What is your name?

IMPORTANT: Any personal information will be kept strictly confidential for ABS use only in accordance with the Privacy at the ABS | Australian Bureau of Statistics

2. Please ensure that you include contact details in your submission. By providing contact information, you agree that the ABS can contact you to ask any follow-up questions, if required.

a. What is your email address?

b. What is your contact number? (optional)

c. If you are submitting this form on behalf of an organisation, what is your organisation?

4. How did you find out about the 2023 review of ASCL?

Direct approach from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Direct approach from another government agency The ABS website Stakeholder network Personal networks Other (please specify)

5. Is there a Language that is currently not identified at the 4-digit level of the ASCL that should be included in the classification?

In the ASCL, Languages are the most detailed level of the classification and have a 4-digit code.

For Languages not currently identified, please provide your suggestions for the following:

a) Title of the Language

b) Language origins (ie Who is it spoken, written or signed by? Known relationship to other Language groups?)

c) Is the Language considered a separate Language, a recognised Language dialect or is it considered either a Pidgin or Creole?

d) Approximate number of people who might use this Language in Australia?

6. Please list any Languages that are not accurately represented in the ASCL. Include details of why the representation is not accurate (ie are they aligned to the correct Broad Group or Narrow Group in the classification? Does the classification reflect the correct spelling of the Language title?)

7. In the ASCL, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages are represented in Broad Group 8, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages. Some of these groups have both 2 and 3-digit Narrow Groups.

a) Do you use the 3-digit Narrow Groups and for what purpose (e.g. for data analysis)? Please provide details:

b) Do the 3-digit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Narrow Groupings still provide meaningful and useful representation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages?

Yes No

If ’Yes’ please provide details:

c) What impact would there be to you/your organisation if the 3-digit Narrow Groups were removed from the classification structure? Please note: The 4-digit Language groups currently listed under the 3-digit Narrow Groups would remain in the ASCL, but they would be listed under the 2-digit Narrow Group structure.

8. Currently the classification includes sign languages as a Narrow Group (97) within Broad Group 9 Other Languages.

There are broadly two main types of sign languages: the first are those that are languages in their own right, with distinct grammar and vocabulary, compared with spoken languages (e.g. sign languages such as Auslan). The second are those that directly represent a spoken language (e.g. signed English), broadly referred to as signed languages.

a) Are there any sign languages currently missing from the ASCL?

b) Is there a need to include signed languages in the ASCL?

9. Do you use ABS language data?

Yes No

If ‘Yes’, please provide the following:

a) How do you currently use the data (for example, is the data used for any policy analysis, development or reporting purpose)? Please provide a description of how this data is used.

b) Do you find there are limitations when using the data? If so, what are the limitations?

c) Is there any additional analysis or reporting that you would like to do using language data? Please provide a description.

10. Considering the initial areas proposed as in-scope of this ASCL review, what areas do you consider to be the high priority issues for this review and why?

11. Are there any other key areas of concern that should be included in the ASCL review? If so, please provide further details and reasons for inclusion.

12. Are there any other comments you would like to provide regarding this review?

There is a limit of 500 characters

If you have any questions about this consultation process, please email standards@abs.gov.au

Page 1 of 3

Introduction