TANIA GRANADILLLO Y HEIDI ORCUTT-GACHIRI (EDS.). 2011. Ethnographic contributions to the study of endangered languages. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press. 230 pp PDF Download

Author: Javier; Universidad de Extremadura/IVIC Carrera Rubio
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : es
Pages : 0

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Author: Tania Granadillo
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
ISBN: 0816526990
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 243

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Book Description
It is a feature of the twenty-first century that world languages are displacing local languages at an alarming rate, transforming social relations and complicating cultural transmission in the process. This language shift—the gradual abandonment of minority languages in favor of national or international languages—is often in response to inequalities in power, signaling a pressure to conform to the political and economic structures represented by the newly dominant languages. In its most extreme form, language shift can result in language death and thus the permanent loss of traditional knowledge and lifeways. To combat this, indigenous and scholarly communities around the world have undertaken various efforts, from archiving and lexicography to the creation of educational and cultural programs. What works in one community, however, may not work in another. Indeed, while the causes of language endangerment may be familiar, the responses to it depend on “highly specific local conditions and opportunities.” In keeping with this premise, the editors of this volume insist that to understand language endangerment, “researchers and communities must come to understand what is happening to the speakers, not just what is happening to the language.” The eleven case studies assembled here strive to fill a gap in the study of endangered languages by providing much-needed sociohistorical and ethnographic context and thus connecting specific language phenomena to larger national and international issues. The goal is to provide theoretical and methodological tools for researchers and organizers to best address the specific needs of communities facing language endangerment. The case studies here span regions as diverse as Kenya, Siberia, Papua New Guinea, Mexico, Venezuela, the United States, and Germany. The volume includes a foreword by linguistic anthropologist Jane Hill and an afterword by poet and linguist Ofelia Zepeda.

Author: David Hirsh
Publisher: Peter Lang Gmbh, Internationaler Verlag Der Wissenschaften
ISBN: 9783034312325
Category : Endangered languages
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Many of the world's 7000 language groups are endangered due to falling rates of language and culture transmission from one generation to the next. This book presents case studies of endangered language groups, and of their associated knowledge and belief systems, to highlight the importance of preserving linguistic and cultural diversity.

Author: Julia Sallabank
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781107702790
Category : Electronic books
Languages : en
Pages : 271

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"Language attitudes and ideologies are of key importance in assessing the chances of success of revitalisation efforts for endangered languages. However, few book-length studies relate attitudes to language policies, or address the changing attitudes of non-speakers and the motivations of members of language movements. Through a combination of ethnographic research and quantitative surveys, this book presents an in-depth study of revitalisation efforts for indigenous languages in three small islands round the British Isles. The author identifies and confronts key issues commonly faced by practitioners and researchers working in small language communities with little institutional support. This book explores the complex relationship of ideologies, identity and language-related beliefs and practices, and examines the implications of these factors for language revitalisation measures. Essential reading for researchers interested in language endangerment and revitalisation, sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology and language policy and planning, as well as language planners and campaigners"--Provided by publisher.