Language
The Macedonian language was the tenth most common language spoken in Australia after English. In 2006, 67,835 people spoke the Macedonian language at home. In 2001 one-third of Macedonian speakers were aged over 65, 25.9% were aged from 55-64, 31.8% were aged from 25-54, 1.2% were aged from 13-24 and 7.7% were aged from 0-12. 53.2% or 38,826 speakers were born in the Republic of Macedonia, 37.6% or 27,051 speakers were born in Australia, 4.4% or 3,152 speakers were born in Greece and a further 1.3% or 908 speakers were born in Yugoslavia.
Most Australians born in Macedonia use the Macedonian language at home (35,070 or 86% out of 40,656 in 2006). Proficiency in English for Australians born in Macedonia was self-described by census respondents as very well by 33%, well by 33%, 26% not well (8% didn't state or said not applicable).
The most significant populations of Macedonian speakers as of 2001 were Melbourne - 30,083, Sydney - 19,980, Wollongong - 7,420, Perth - 5,772, Newcastle - 1,993, Geelong - 1,300, Queanbeyan - 1,105.
Many suburbs have large Macedonian speaking communities, the most largest are; Port Kembla (20.9%), Thomastown (16.7%), Banksia (16.1%), Coniston (15.9%) and Lalor (14.8%). In 2001, Cringila was titled the "most Macedonian" suburb in all of Australia with 32.8% of its population speaking Macedonian at home.
Read more about this topic: Macedonian Australian
Famous quotes containing the word language:
“...I ... believe that words can help us move or keep us paralyzed, and that our choices of language and verbal tone have somethinga great dealto do with how we live our lives and whom we end up speaking with and hearing; and that we can deflect words, by trivialization, of course, but also by ritualized respect, or we can let them enter our souls and mix with the juices of our minds.”
—Adrienne Rich (b. 1929)
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Retreat from too much joy or too much fear:
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—Roland Barthes (19151980)