LDTC Workshop #8 Revitalization

Some facts: 3 generations to extinction The generation that starts to cares about language loss comes a generation after most people stop speaking it Languages start to change when they become endangered The more endangered a language is, the harder it is to revitalize Change faster and in non-natural ways

What is Language Revitalization? “The attempt by interested parties, including individuals, cultural or community groups, governments, or political authorities, to reverse the decline of a language.” Also called: Language Revival Reversing Language Shift ‘Awakening’

What are the Goals of Revitalization? Increase speaker numbers Increase language use Within and between different sections in the population Increase number of domains of use Places, people, activities Places: home, church, school, market, official meetings People: parents, friends, elders, children Activities: prayer/church, games, sporting events, secret codes

Levels of Magnitude Large Scale Small Scale Country- or community-wide efforts to reverse language shift Israeli/Hebrew Scottish and Irish Gaelic Cherokee Small Scale Individual or small group efforts Family use in the home Language use in community centers In a particular school program Cherokee: 3 Million dollar investment, development of post secondary degree programs, immersive education beginning in preschool

Successful revitalization efforts usually include: Long-term community commitment and enthusiasm for revitalization A well thought-out plan and step-by-step achievable goals Speakers (and older learners) willing to act as mentors and teachers Language immersion, at least for the younger children Commitment to language use in most domains (not just in school and at home)

Types of Revitalization Programs

Language Nests A preschool- or kindergarten-like setting Childcare providers are elders, adults who speak the native language with the children Successful program: Maori language nests in New Zealand “Te kōhanga reo” Drawbacks: stops at kindergarten age.

Immersion schools Post-kindergarten level Some to all academic subjects taught in native language from native-speakers Example: Hawaiian Language Immersion Program Drawbacks: school-based programs. Don’t necessarily influence any other domains, and can sour students to the language if they are forced to do it. Also have to fit into existing educational framework: ow does it work with the national curriculum? If it’s after school, how many kids are going to want to stay and do more school?

Master-Apprentice Programs All participants are adults An apprentice is paired with a master (native speaking elder) to meet regularly and converse in the native language Examples: Chickasaw, California languages, Australia Downside: have to have independently motivated people. In Cali, they get paid, but that means your motivation to continue after the money stops is probably minimal.

Community-Based Programs Can be any age; there is no real connection to school Usually a summer camp or weekend activity Revolves around community activities, but only using the native language Downside: not usually frequent enough to create native speakers.

Other Ideas… Starting small: Create “domains” in your everyday life where you only speak your native language (for example: in the kitchen) Find or become a mentor and speak only your native language for a few hours a week Create a small group of people who do culturally relative things (crafts, activities) once a month where only the native language is spoken Do a project on some interesting aspect of the language and/or culture which might get others interested in revitalization Projects: a map of native place names, a dictionary, childrens books, recording folk tales

Your Turn! With your mentors, think about steps you could take in your community to revitalize, or maintain, your language. Things to consider: Where your language is, in terms of vitality and revitalization needs Doable programs and activities that you feel you could complete with a small amount of resources How many know there already are revitalization programs for your language?

Beyond LDTC LDTC is only the beginning. There are a lot of things you can do with the skills and knowledge you’ve learned here Create a small-scale revitalization project record more stories, poems, songs from speakers of your language work on your dictionary more Find out if there are linguists working on your language Take Advanced LDTC! Thank you!