Factors influencing language choice of the Chơ Ro ethnic minority in Southern Vietnam: A socio-structural analysis

This study examines the structural and socio-psychological factors shaping the language choice of the Chơ Ro—an indigenous community of fewer than 30,000 members in Southeast Vietnam—to identify the determinants of linguistic persistence amidst rapid industrial expansion. In the context of industrialization in Vietnam, ethnic minority communities navigate significant challenges related to language maintenance. This paper argues that Chơ Ro language choice reflects a phenomenon of language persistence, in which internal cultural motivations and communal networks function as determinants against the pressures of language shift. Utilizing a convergent mixed-methods design, the study analyzed quantitative data from 472 bilingual participants in Dong Nai, triangulated with qualitative data from 30 semi-structured interviews conducted with village elders and cultural custodians. The regression model yielded an adjusted R2 of .862, indicating that the independent variables account for 86.2% of the variance in language choice. Results indicate a predictive hierarchy: Cultural motivation (CM) emerged as a determinant predictor (β = 0.271, p < 0.001), followed by Endogamous social networks (ESN) (β = 0.225, p < 0.001) and Domain functional expansion (DFE) (β = 0.195, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that the Chơ Ro language remains a functional medium in domestic and communal domains, supported by Intergenerational Transmission Strength (ITS) (β = 0.171) and Institutional Support (IS) (β = 0.166). Qualitative themes reinforce these results, identifying a gendered buffering mechanism where domestic socialization counteracts external industrial pressures. This research provides an empirical framework for policy interventions aimed at addressing ethnolinguistic vitality through the reinforcement of community-based linguistic assets. By documenting the resilience of a small-scale minority, the study contributes to a comparative theory of bilingualism in urbanizing contexts, emphasizing that internal conviction and communal structures are necessary to mitigate linguistic attrition in high-density economic zones.