Introduction

The German and Dutch speech communities in Australia appear outwardly similar. Both are socioeconomically well established (Derrick, Pyne and Price 1976: 31), relatively large, and fairly assimilated. According to the 1976 Census (adjusted figures, Clyne 1982: 12), Australia then had 170,644 regular users of German (54,824 in Victoria) and 64,768 regular users of Dutch (20,606 in Victoria). The languages and cultures do not diverge markedly from those of the dominant Anglo—Australian group and, incidentally, resemble each other. In comparison with some other communities, such as the Greeks, the German—Dutch similarities hold true but in comparison between them, the German and Dutch speech communities show some marked differences.

I shall be focusing here on two aspects: the structure of the German and Dutch languages as used by postwar immigrants and their children and patterns of language use and maintenance of the two languages. I will explore possible interrelations between structure and language use, taking into account migration history and community dynamics and demographic factors (notably settlement patterns).

Language maintenance and community dynamics

Every study so far conducted in Australia on language maintenance and shift, whether small-scale and detailed or large-scale and superficial, has found that, of all the speech communities in Australia, the Dutch speakers have experienced the most rapid shift to the use of English only, both within the home and elsewhere (see, e.g. Harvey 1974; Clyne 1977b, 1982, and chapter 14, this volume; Pauwels 1980; Smolicz and Harris 1976; ABS 1976, 1983).