A confusion of tongues : Overcoming language difficulties on the Jim Crow Goldfield

Since the early 1970s Australia has been described as a multicultural society. Australian Government policy, portfolios and promotion of cohesive and co-operative communities aim to encourage understanding of cultural backgrounds of all who comprise it. Considering the importance of language to everyday life, very tittle research has been undertaken on the role of language on the Victorian goldfields. This chapter deals with the impact of language on non-English speakers, specifically Italian speakers from the Jim Crow goldfield. It can be assumed that other non-English speakers on other goldfields throughout Victoria experienced similar difficulties to those at Jim Crow