Many endangered languages have rich oral cultures with stories, songs, and histories passed on to younger generations, but no written forms. As a classroom exercise, share Iyer’s work with your students and ask them to reflect on the expressions. Over 400 languages were lost over the last 100 years, at a rate of 1 every 3 months and approximately 50% of the languages remaining today are expected to disappear over the next century. One example is the South American country of Paraguay. One main reason the intergenerational passing down of a language can stop is external pressures on a language community that drive some of its members to favor a more dominant language. ... To survive, languages must be seen to be relevant. "Only 54 of nearly 12,000 schools teach Portuguese," said Nancy Benítez, director of curriculum at the Ministry of Education, of the language of Brazil, the giant neighbor that dominates trade with Paraguay. The cultures have evolved in a particular environmental context, so they have an extraordinary amount of traditional ecological knowledge — knowledge of the local species, plants, animals, the medicinal uses of them, the migration patterns of animals behavior, So when the languages die off, much of that knowledge goes with them. One example of this is with the North American native language Miami, which became extinct in the 1960’s.  A classroom exercise after the two readings invites students to consider ideas and expressions that might be lost as the world’s diversity of languages diminishes. As the dominant language continues to render the possibly threatened language less and less useful, the language moves into an endangered status. It might be a word for a certain kind of feeling or mood, a kind of behavior we see in ourselves or others, or the way something looks, sounds, or feels.  It could be a word to describe a particular situation. Their languages were banned or suppressed, either overtly, using horrific physical and psychological methods, or covertly, with rulers extolling the virtues of their own modern, relevant languages, which, they said, would offer the locals a chance to better themselves and, of course, lead them to salvation. For example, the vast majority of online information is only published in English. In fact, indigenous languages are often considered more complex in nature than a widely spoken language like English, which has been simplified over the years in order to be more widely applicable. At the same time, however, technology also works to suppress language diversity by being available in only a few of the most widely spoken languages. Endangered languages? As Manuela Picq, a professor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, explains in an August 18, 2012 article for Al Jazeera English: Los Nin emerged in 2008.  What do these distinctive words and phrases reflect about the cultures from which they originate? Although the fight for language preservation is a challenging one, there are examples of indigenous languages thriving thanks to supportive public policy. How Many Serial Killers Are Active In The UK Now? But what if I asked you to name a critically endangered language, how long would it take you to think of an answer? 5.  Why do you think the words chosen by artist Anjana Iyer are so difficult to translate? Share using Email.  What are your favorite words or expressions from the list? As the number of languages being spoken in the world declines rapidly, preserving the world's diverse linguistic heritage will require dedicated effort. The following questions can be used to guide discussion: 1. High-tech efforts include the creation of a texting app specifically for use by speakers of indigenous languages in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Meanwhile, indigenous artists are creating new music in modern genres with traditional languages. One of the reasons some indigenous languages are endangered is that increased connectivity through the Internet and social media have strengthened dominant languages such as English, Russian and Chinese, says Anna Luisa Daigneault of the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages. Ask students to report back on the word they have come up with, and explain what it means.  Write each word on the board, and ask: does this word describe something other students know or have experienced?  Does the word have resonance for you? While it may seem like only a handful of languages are used around the world, the reality is that a vast number are spoken by people in different countries and cultures. Endangered whales. Other researchers point out that it is not only information that disappears, but also a unique way of looking at the world. Studying indigenous languages therefore benefits environmental understanding and conservation efforts. The disappearance of languages is a narrowing of human perspectives into fewer structures, fewer possibilities. And remember, of Mango’s 70+ language courses, nine are endangered languages spoken by Indigenous communities. Do you think platforms such as Facebook and Twitter can contribute to the preservation of indigenous languages? 6. 6.  Can you think of more ways to getting young people to learn or speak an indigenous language? Â. Today, a third of the world’s languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers left.  If so, what? Over time, the remaining speakers pass away, causing the language to become extinct. Preserving a language is important since it embodies the culture and tradition of a particular group of people. These lesser-known languages also provide a sense of cultural identity and of communal belonging. The reason why it’s better to preserve currently existing natural languages than to create new ones is because of the historical and personal value of the former. Social media are just another connection point for people who want to stay connected to their language," says Daigneault, Latin America projects coordinator and development officer at the institute. "Identity" tackles cultural discrimination boys face for keeping their long hair and "20 balas" insists manhood is not achieved through violence or gunshots. The language a person speaks also affects the way they think and process information. Still, other experts suggest that having a unique language shared by a specific culture facilitates communication and encourages collaboration among people. Not everyone is concerned about language loss. By encouraging children to study and become fluent in a language, linguists hope it will survive through them and be passed along to future generations. What do you think of their arguments? Academic departments and nonprofit organizations around the world are dedicated to saving endangered languages. 3. Researchers are currently recording and documenting some of the most critically endangered languages in order to ensure a record remains after the last speaker is long gone. A language is only useful for trade (for example Mandarin Chinese due to a lot of trade with China). Is A Ban On Animal Testing For Cosmetics The Need Of The Day? 5. The second reading outlines how indigenous movements are fighting to preserve their languages. Governments often fail to protect or promote their country’s minority languages, fearing that significant minority groups speaking a different tongue within their borders could result in political disturbance, as such communities demand greater recognition, autonomy or even independence. Have students break into groups of four or five.  Give each group a few minutes to invent at least one new word that describes something so special or so specific that there is not yet a word for it (that they know of). They are working to ensure that younger generations learn and perpetuate their languages. In this video, I explain why you should care about languages, how linguistic diversity enriches your life and brain health and what we can do to keep languages alive. Endangered languages stand a greater chance of survival when they are used online. According to the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, 577 languages are currently listed as critically endangered. M inority languages, then, are valuable. Do you find any words or expressions to be disturbing?  Why? Endangered languages stand a greater chance of … Who knew there was so much that goes into keeping a language relevant! Languages go through several stages before becoming extinct. Language is a doorway to culture, philosophy and knowledge. Â, We work hand in hand with you to address Originally from the town of Otavalo, in the northern highlands of Ecuador, their goal was to revive Kichwa through pop culture. media caption How people are trying to preserve endangered languages Language experts are gathering at a university in the UK to discuss saving the world's endangered languages. Languages become endangered and die out for many reasons. Ecological value. As previously mentioned, thousands of the current living languages are spoken by indigenous individuals. Much of what humans know about nature is encoded only in oral languages. Yet because language is so central to being human, to have a language used only with certain other people is a powerful tool for connection and a sense of community. 2. This has led some people to consider at what point a language should be allowed to become extinct. They also juxtapose cultural references, combining men's traditional long hair with the street fashion from NYC. In order to keep a language alive, it needs to be spoken by many, immersed in everyday culture, and actively passed on to future generations.  A note to teacher: Please view the images in advance. The first two expressions may raise questions that you will want to  discuss with students. Words that describe a particular cultural practice or idea may not translate precisely into another language. Researchers are currently recording and documenting some of the most critically endangered languages in order to ensure a record remains after the last speaker is long gone. In a June 2014 article in the New Internationalist magazine, writer Jo Lateu outlines key factors that have led to an increasing rate of language extinction: Some people argue that, since languages ebb and flow as part of a natural order, it is pointless trying to save them.  Does the word reflect something about the students’ own lives and cultures? Language defines a culture, through the people who speak it and what it allows speakers to say. Scarily, the rate of extinction is accelerating and there is a whole lot at stake. The band's music blends Spanish and the indigenous language Kichwa in hip-hop songs. The disappearance of indigenous languages is caused by factors including urbanization and the growing globalization of culture, media, and art. Dog-Whistle Politics: Talking About Race Without Talking About Race. Los Nin has drawn attention in international performances. The Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project at University of London has this to say about language preservation: In many areas of the world, economic, military, social and other pressures are causing communities to stop speaking their traditional languages, and turn to other, typically more dominant, languages. Of these 577 critically endangered languages, several have only 1 speaker left alive and many may have already gone extinct. Some people believe that Facebook and Twitter can also help to preserve languages. How Many Serial Killers Are On The Loose Today? The following stages include: severely endangered, critically endangered, moribund, and extinct. As additional individuals became more interested in reviving the language, the tribal council created a language immersion school. In order to keep a language alive, it needs to be spoken by many, immersed in everyday culture and actively passed on to future generations. The diversity in languages, however, is declining. Some languages on the verge of extinction have only a handful of speakers remaining. Language is inherently about people, culture and identity. 4. Many linguists and academics, who recognise the value of dying languages, are working to preserve them through the use of modern technology. These are exactly the sort of values associated with sentimentality. However, by learning an endangered language, people could also help spread and promote cultures which are at risk of dying out entirely. Not everyone agrees about the impact of language loss. In fact, linguists suggest that around 6,500 languages are currently used for daily communication needs. In response to these challenges, indigenous communities are increasingly organizing to preserve and revitalize their languages, working to ensure that younger generations learn and perpetuate them. Many individuals question the importance of language diversity, likening language extinction to “survival of the fittest” or viewing it as a personal choice that individuals choose not to continue using their native tongue. This makes language a vulnerable aspect of cultural heritage, and it becomes especially important to preserve it. The young vocalists admit they had to re-learn the language of their parents to put it into songs. Living Tongues has linked up with the National Geographic Society to form the Enduring Voices Project, which strives to preserve endangered languages by identifying language hotspots–the places with the most unique, poorly understood, or threatened indigenous languages–and documenting the languages and cultures within them.. By saving endangered languages people can increase their awareness of the history of world (Crystal 2002). Studying various languages also increases our understanding of how humans communicate and store knowledge. Â. They contend that languages are naturally selected based on their usefulness. Indigenous communities are also using technology in their fight to preserve their languages. Types Of Crimes By Number Of Offenses In The US, The 10 Biggest Shopping Malls In The World. The disappearance of indigenous languages is caused by factors including urbanization and the growing globalization of culture, media, and art. The preservation process has its challenges: many rare languages are endangered because their speakers are not passing them along to the next generation, preferring their children learn a language which may afford broader access to the outside world. In North America, European colonists brought death and destruction to many Native American communities. They consider several distinctive words for which there is no English translation, and, in small groups, make up a word of their own to describe something in their world.Â. They point out that a consolidation of languages means an increased ability to communicate globally, without the burden of translation. Moreover, one of most important reason why it is needed to keep minority languages researching is that academically new and attractive facts are always discovered in minority languages. According to the reading, why has the language Guaraní managed to survive and even thrive in Paraguay? One example of this latter trend is Los Nin, an Ecuadorian band with indigenous members. With the extinction of a language, an entire culture is lost. Without a strong speech community, the number of speakers dwindles, and the language eventually dies, with the last native speaker. - Research assistance provided by Yessenia Gutierrez. Language and culture Teaching Guaraní is a subject infused with nationalism and competing theories of how to prevent Guaraní from being eclipsed by Spanish, long dominant in the legal system and in business. Helpful resources in your inbox twice a month. In addition, some governmental policies have put indigenous languages at risk. Those proficient in written Guaraní exchange text-messages farewells like "Jajuecháta Ko’érõ," which means, "We’ll see each other if tomorrow comes. Academic departments and nonprofit organizations around the world are dedicated to saving endangered languages. Do you notice any patterns? Language Extinction: Why it’s important to promote linguistic diversity. This categorization means that only a small number of speakers can be found in the oldest living generation and many of these individuals are not completely fluent. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Natives in the US have begun just such a program. This often occurs because the more dominant language is perceived or presented as a condition for ensuring quality of life. Ask students to volunteer one thing that struck them about the reading and discussion today. They are also encouraged to provide funding to language experts who are interested in conducting a research or preservation efforts for a specific endangered language. Another way of preserving languages is by introducing language revitalization classes to children. Sadly, the physical annihilation of communities of native speakers of a language is all too often the cause of language extinction. As writer Lydia Emmanouilidou explains in a July 26, 2014 article for NPR: Social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter are in a position to revitalize and preserve indigenous, minority and endangered languages, linguists and language-preservation activists say. The idea behind this preservation technique is that the language could be reintroduced at some point in the future should a person or group of people be interested in reviving the tongue… Because of this movement toward more dominant languages, these individuals do not go on to teach the indigenous languages to their children, believing that the dominant language is more valuable for future employment opportunities. And in the streets, it is a source of national pride. The musical repertoire is culturally diverse and inevitably rebellious. The list includes indigenous languages like Cherokee and Quechua. The Kichwa verb "nin" means "to say." In other words, 1 language will go extinct every 2 weeks. Without language diversity, the world becomes slowly more homogenous in a variety of ways. As languages go extinct, therefore, the richness of human expression is diminished. Rather more surprising, it is estimated that more than half of all these languages will be extinct by the next century.. Stories, songs and even group identities disappear. “From a scientific point of view, from a linguistic point of view, just undeniably, there is an incredible amount of knowledge about history, the world, ecology, plants, animals, life-saving, critical information that is encoded and is in these languages that can’t, and shouldn’t, be just … For these reasons it is important to document endangered languages and preserve them. Â. Some of the most critical of these languages include: Yamana (spoken in Chile), Taje (spoken in Indonesia), Pemono (spoken in Venezuela), Laua (spoken in Papua New Guinea), Kulon-Pazeh (spoken in Taiwan), Kaixana (spoken in Brazil), Diahoi (spoken in Brazil), Dampelas (spoken in Indonesia), Bikya (spoken in Cameroon), and Apiaca (spoken in Brazil). Each language has its own phrases, expressions, and grammatical rules that provide a different point of view and understanding of the world around us. The list of courses includes Cherokee, Tuvan, Hawaiian, Chaldean, Scottish Gaelic, and more. Information about the medicinal value of plants and habits of local animals becomes a mystery to future generations as well. Believe it or not, almost 50% of the languages spoken in the world are currently in … Lyrics discuss daily life, identity, discrimination and myriad other societal problems. Preserving Endangered Languages. Photo: Graham Crumb. 3. 4. Saving a language isn’t just a matter of recording words or phrases and digitizing them to be held in an online vault. Â, Indigenous activists are both hopeful and excited about the increasing variety of methods being used to encourage indigenous language preservation and learning. Between 1950 and 2010, 230 languages went extinct, according to the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger. They must be valued and their use encouraged, particularly among children. Can you think of other reasons why endangered languages might be worth preserving? When a language dies out, future generations lose a vital part of the culture that is necessary to completely understand it. Colonization and the rise of the nation-state in the 18th and 19th centuries laid the groundwork for the situation in which we now find ourselves. These advocates believe that this loss correlates with a decrease in richness of human expression. Some young people are adopting practices such as texting in their grandparents' languages. This year, Facebook says it launched 13 news languages, including Azerbaijani, Javanese, Macedonian, Galician and Sinhala.... "Having endangered languages on the Internet has a really strong impact on the youth because it shows that their language is still relevant today," says Daigneault of the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages. Â. Many of these endangered languages are spoken by indigenous peoples across the globe - including people in Guatemala, Canada, Australia, Peru, the United States, and Bolivia. Linguists believe that language loss is now taking place at an unprecedented rate, as is the spread of half a dozen globally dominant languages, which, if we don’t act now, may be all we are left with in 100 years’ time. Some songs celebrate the power of ancestry while others engage in the active defense of women rights over their bodies.". Every time a language dies, we lose part of the picture of what our brains can do. It is this sort of ‘active’ multilingualism, with each language having a valid and valued place in a different area of an individual’s daily life, that must be encouraged. Why do advocates for the preservation of indigenous languages focus on getting young people interested in the cause? Do you believe that other governments should adopt similar public policies? Some researchers believe that the percentage is higher. Indigenous groups that have interacted closely with the natural world for thousands of years often have profound insights into local lands, plants, animals, and ecosystems—many still undocumented by science. 3. Because these languages are usually only spoken at home by older generations and not typically taught in schools, children do not become fluent speakers. In fact, some linguists believe most of these languages may already be extinct, with the exception of Kulon-Pazeh, which continues to be spoken as a second language by a small population. One less language will mean it is that much easier to communicate with people. In some cases, even the remaining speakers of endangered languages have objected to artificial efforts to save them in the past. Losing a language also can mean losing crucial knowledge about the linguistic group’s history, culture, or even knowledge about their local environment. Rather, the threat comes from geopolitical prerogatives, inequality, poverty and rampant globalization. Today, it is offered as a course at the Miami University in the US state of Ohio. There are over six thousand living languages in the world, of which more than one thousand are defined as "endangered" - they are at serious risk of becoming extinct, with no living speakers. On stage, they blend languages and native musical instruments such as the Andean flute with more electric sounds. National Geographic magazine’s Enduring Voices Project, which works with indigenous communities to combat language extinction, describes what is lost when indigenous languages die out. But the current threat to most of the world’s 7,000 languages is far from being a natural phenomenon. Digital classrooms, podcasts, audio recordings, phone applications, and computer programs are all available in a number of endangered languages. This lesson consists of two readings and one classroom exercise. Iyer’s work can be found here. 1. Did anything surprise you about this reading? The oral traditions of an entire culture are gone and with that, the songs, anecdotes, and historical occurrences that document an important piece of human history are also lost. The first reading examines the reasons for the widespread extinction of indigenous languages around the world. In an attempt to preserve endangered languages, it offers free courses in five endangered ones: Cherokee, Scottish Gaelic, Yiddish, Tuvan (spoken in central Russia) and Dzongkha (spoken in Bhutan). What do you think?  How much effort should organizations and governments expend to preserve such languages? "But every one of our schools teaches Guaraní. 15 Fossil Hunting Locations In The US You Need To Know About, 10 Countries Where Women Far Outnumber Men, The Most Famous Serial Killers In America And Their Twisted Crimes. In my opinion, saving a language is only a symptomatic treatment of the problem of globalization. "Having a Web presence for those languages is super important for their survival. In contrast, indigenous rights advocates are alarmed by the current rapid loss of languages. Explain your position. Have you heard the popular quote “No man is an island?” No man stands …
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