Social Media and Language Revitalization: Responding to a Complaint

Lea Faka-Tonga: "Mālō e lelei, faiako. 'Oku ou fakamālō atu ki ho'o fakakaukau. 'Oku mahino ki au 'oku 'i ai 'a e ngaahi lea 'oku 'ikai ke tauhi 'e he kakai 'e ni'ihi. 'Oku 'ikai ko e taumu'a ke faka'ita'i; 'oku ou fie faka'efe'efe'a'i 'a e ako 'o e lea. Ka 'oku ou tui 'oku lava ke tau ako 'a e lea 'i he ngaahi tūkunga kehekehe. Te u fokotu'u ke u tānaki atu ha fakamatala ki he vitiōo pea te u fakamatala ki he 'uhinga 'o e lea. Kataki 'aupito 'a e tokoni."

English translation: "Greetings, teacher. Thank you for your thought. I understand that there are words that some people do not respect. It is not the goal to make people angry; I want to encourage learning the language. But I believe we can learn the language in different contexts. I propose to add an explanation to the video and explain the meaning of the word. Please, thank you for your help."

Reasoning: I would address the teacher with 'faiako' and thank them first, which acknowledges their status and avoids a defensive opening. I would not say 'you are wrong' or 'it is just slang'; instead I would acknowledge that some words are not respected by some people. I would explain my intent - encouraging language learning - without claiming that intent cancels the offence. I would propose a concrete action (adding an explanation and discussing the meaning) rather than either ignoring the complaint or deleting the video immediately. This keeps the account credible and shows that I take elders' concerns seriously while continuing to engage youth. The phrase 'Kataki 'aupito 'a e tokoni' invites dialogue rather than ending it.

I would introduce a clear register strategy. First, I would create a short series called 'Lea mo e 'Apasia' (Language and Respect) that explains when a phrase is appropriate, informal, or offensive. This turns the complaint into content rather than hiding it. Second, I would consult a small reference group of elders and teachers before posting slang, not to ask permission for everything but to catch serious problems early. Third, I would separate content into playlists: 'fun' videos for youth culture and 'formal' videos for proverbs, greetings, and oratory. Fourth, I would add captions that give context, e.g. 'This phrase is used among friends; do not use it with elders.' Fifth, I would keep the comments moderated and publicly thank elders who correct me.

The reasoning is that language revitalization needs both innovation and respect. If I only post formal Tongan, I may lose youth engagement. If I only post slang, I may alienate the elders whose knowledge sustains the language. A register strategy lets me do both without pretending that all contexts are the same. It also models for my followers that being fluent includes knowing when not to use a word.

This situation shows that language is not a neutral list of words; it carries cultural values such as faka'apa'apa (respect), 'ofa (care), and loto fakatōkilalo (humility). The slang phrase was not just 'bad grammar'; for the teacher, it signalled a lack of respect because it used a term for food waste metaphorically in a public space. For young followers, the same phrase signalled creativity and belonging. Both readings are real, which is why the conflict is a judgement call rather than a simple right-or-wrong question.

It also reveals a power dynamic between elders and youth. Elders often hold the authority to define appropriate language, while youth push the language into new media and new contexts. Revitalization depends on both: elders provide depth and protocol, youth provide reach and innovation. The response I wrote tries to hold both by acknowledging the teacher's concern and explaining my intent, then changing my content strategy. The deeper lesson is that speaking Lea Faka-Tonga well means knowing the social meaning of words, not only their dictionary meaning. That is a cultural value as much as a linguistic one.