Endangered Languages Prof. Sharon Hargus LING 200, Spring 2006

Overview Linguistic diversity Linguistic extinction Consequences of linguistic extinction The role of linguists

Linguistic Diversity

Estimating linguistic diversity 6912 languages (Gordon Spoken and signed languages Counting difficulties Dialect vs. language issue Poorly documented languages

Distribution of world’s languages areaapx % of world’s lgs Europe3 Americas15 Africa30 Australia and Pacific19 Asia32 Map on next slide

What creates linguistic diversity? Incremental changes to Grammar Lexicon English of Belfast, N. Ireland Divergence historically enhanced by isolation of speech communities

Another way of estimating linguistic diversity Language families: tree model of divergence E.g., Celtic languages Proto-Celtic Continental Insular Gaulish Goidelic Brythonic Irish Manx Scots Gaelic Welsh Cornish Breton

Linguistic diversity in terms of language families # remote families  Americas Australia and Pacific47 Europe and N. Asia14-15 Africa Language family estimates from Nichols 1990 Geographic distribution of language families Map on next slide

Distribution of language families Each dot = 1 family of apx yr time-depth Americas Australia AsiaEurope Africa

Pacific Northwest families Athabaskan, Salishan, Penutian, Numic, Chimakuan, Wakashan

Diversity summary Best measure of diversity is number of families, not languages The languages within a family are all more similar to each other than they are to languages outside their family. Greatest areas of linguistic diversity Americas Australia, New Guinea

Linguistic Extinction

Linguistic extinction Diversification is normal Extinction is also normal Some extinct languages of Europe Gaulish, Manx, Cornish (all Celtic) ‘Pictish’ (formerly spoken in Scotland) Etruscan (formerly spoken in Italy)

Irish Gaelic, a Celtic language Yellow areas of map show places where native speakers of Irish Gaelic are most numerous within Ireland years ago all of Ireland would have been colored yellow.

Historical rates of linguistic survival Estimates from Nichols 1990 Typical historical scenario Until recently, linguistic diversity has been increasing Ancestor Language Daughter 1 Daughter 2 Daughter years later … 1.6 languages < 1 Ancestor Lg …

Projections of linguistic diversity ‘Moribund’ languages ‘Endangered’ languages Krauss 1992 estimate: 50-90% loss in coming century

Estimates of projected extinction 516 of the world’s languages are ‘nearly extinct’ “only a few elderly speakers are still living”  Africa: 46 languages  Americas: 170 languages  Asia: 78 languages  Europe: 12 languages  Pacific: 210 languages < Summer Institute of Linguistics (

North America In 1996, 208 languages (Goddard 1996) 62 families and isolates 71% spoken by middle-aged and older 14% spoken by parents of young children 15% being learned by children as L1 At first contact with Europeans, roughly 400 languages

Estimates of projected extinction area% moribund languages Alaska and Siberia90% US and Canada80% Central America, Mexico17% S. America27% N. and S. America33% Australia90% < Krauss 1992

Makah (Wakashan family) Formerly spoken in Washington state 2002, 2 speakers  0 speakers

Navajo How quickly a language can become endangered 1970: 90% of children in boarding schools lacked preschool experience with English 1990s. 2 independent estimates:  50%+ Head Start children are monolingual English speakers  50% of 5-year-olds have no knowledge of Navajo; only about 16% are competent speakers

Why languages die Genocide of speakers War (e.g. Wounded Knee) Epidemics Speech community displacement (e.g. Trail of Tears)

Why languages die Differences in the power and prestige of social groups Incentives to learn language of dominant group No incentives to learn language of non-dominant group social group B (and their lg)social group A (and their lg)

Why languages die Bombardment of dominant language Media: TV, radio, newspaper Non-speakers living in community: grandchildren etc. Language suppression in education Language of primary education Language of higher education

Extinction summary Lgc extinction has been a fact of history Current rates of loss are unprecedented Languages can become endangered in one generation Diverse causes of endangerment

Consequences of linguistic extinction

Positive consequences of lg loss Unity in the workplace “The only thing I asked was, ‘Let’s work together in a language we can all understand’.” [Owner of Texas insurance company, re the firing of 3 Spanish speakers for chatting in Spanish during the workday.] The Texas Workforce Commission sided with the owner, and denied the women unemployment benefits. (“Clash of Cultures Tears Texas City”, New York Times, )

Positive consequences of lg loss Savings to taxpayers Canada: all federal services, documents must be provided in both French, English  Canadian customs form: 6 pages  U.S. customs form: 2 pages U.S.: elections pamphlets in different languages ($$)

Positive consequences of lg loss Better socio-economic outlook In 1995, ‘an Amarillo judge sparked a national controversy when he ordered a Mexican-American woman involved in a custody dispute to speak English to her 5-year-old daughter. Otherwise, he said, “You’re abusing that child and you’re relegating her to the position of housemaid.” (The judge later issued an apology to the woman and to “the profession of housekeeping.”)

Negative consequences Scientific Theories about language based on  6700 languages, 200 families vs.  200 languages, 20 families vs.  12 languages, 5 families

Negative consequences Cultural Language as a symbol of culture  Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic opening ceremony: Indian nations of Utah (Shoshoni, N. Paiute, S. Paiute, Navajo) made welcoming presentations in their own languages (not translated into English) Sample attitudes about language and culture  Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council language policy: "Our ancient language is the foundation of our cultural and spiritual heritage..."  Damon Clarke (Hualapai): "For many of us, our language is the key. The key in thinking, our educational system, and our ways."  Rosa Gonzalez (Spanish): “This is what I am.”

Negative consequences Loss of local knowledge Biological Geographical Dictionary as cultural repository

The role of linguists

Linguists and endangered languages What are linguists doing? What should linguists be doing? What shouldn’t linguists be doing? 3 points of view Krauss Ladefoged Dorian

Krauss’s point of view Linguists need to support endangered lgs Organized documentation effort Devote time to creation of pedagogical materials Advocate for languages The field of linguistics needs to support linguists involved in documentation Rethink grad school requirements Rethink criteria for promotion and tenure

Ladefoged’s point of view Linguists should document lgs with ‘professional detachment’ Linguists shouldn’t meddle in politics Linguists shouldn’t try to persuade speakers to have certain viewpoints about language Speakers may view monolingualism in lg of dominant group as essential

Dorian’s point of view Documentation of minority languages is inherently political Linguists’ intervention probably of no consequence for lg survival anyway Language loss is catastrophic for descendants of speakers for linguistics Thorough lg documentation takes a toll on linguists Ladefoged-style documentation of the phonetics doesn’t require as much fieldwork time as other types of language documentation

Language and politics in N. Ireland (GaelicPolitics)

Draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples (adopted 1994) Part III, Article 14  Indigenous peoples have the right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures, and to designate and retain their own names for communities, places and persons. Part IV, Article 15  Indigenous children have the right to all levels and forms of education of the State. All indigenous peoples also have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning.

United States 1990 Native American Languages Act SEC The Congress finds that-- (1) the status of the cultures and languages of native Americans is unique and the United States has the responsibility to act together with Native Americans to ensure the survival of these unique cultures and languages; … SEC It is the policy of the United States to-- (1) preserve, protect, and promote the rights and freedom of Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native American languages; …

Ireland Official Languages Act “The official languages” means the Irish language (being the national language and the first official language) and the English language (being a second official language)…  8.---(1) A person may use either of the official languages in, or in any pleading in or document issuing from, any court. …

More opinions from linguists Summer Institute of Linguistics Endangered Languages page   Links to other resources The Linguasphere Observatory 

Summary Often, minority languages  endangered  moribund  extinct 25% language extinction in years is normal Extinction of 90% languages in 100 years is unprecedented Negative consequences of extinction are both scientific and cultural The role that linguists should play has been debated