Language, Discourse and PowerMartinique Glass

The Fate of LanguagesA study of the health of world languages and the preservation of heritage languages.

Image source:http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/language/

Contents Introduction of the themes

Definitions

Chosen text

Context of chosen text

Ideas – language death

Analysis of elements and affects

Language genocide (linguicide)

te Reo Maori

Personal experience

Conclusion

Introduction of themes

Image source:

http://www.minispace.com/mediadata/gallery/200812/gallery_fullsize/rdo04vbu.jpg

• The preservation of heritage languages, (Rizk’s reading) • Sociolinguists – ‘language death’.

• 2,000 - 3,000 languages under threat, of the 6,700 known languages.

• 3 categories of language health.

• Linguistic genocide (linguicide).

• Language is part of ‘who’ we are.

• New Zealand context – te Reo

Definitions Sociolinguists

One whom studies language in relation to its social context.

Linguistic genocide (linguicide); When one language is ‘killed’ by the domination of another.

Categories of language health; a) Endangered – still learned by children but likely to cease

within the next century. b) Moribund – no longer learned by children, (Michael E.

Krauss estimates that between 15 and 30% of world languages fall into this category)

c) Safe – learned by children and likely to continue for foreseeable future.

Chosen text

Rizk, J. (2000). Keeping one’s language: Looking back with regret. In, J.B. Web & B.L. Miller (Eds.), Teaching Heritage Language Learners: Voices from the Classroom (pp. 66-68). Yonkers, NY: ACTFL.

Image source:

http://camelsnose.files.wordpress.com/2011/01arabicalphabet_picture_chart.jpg

Context of chosen text

‘I can communicate my love for my grandmother but, since I cannot converse freely with her, I feel cheated of fully knowing her’ (Rizk 66).

Explores the disadvantages of not learning a ‘heritage language’ as a child.

Heeding the appalling ‘advice’ of an American elementary school teacher to speak English, rather than native tongue at home.

Jacqueline’s personal inability to communicate with extended family through not being taught Arabic.

The significance of language for cultural preservation.

Ideas – language death

(Skutnabb-Kangas, 2000:57)

Analysis of elements and effects

• 2,000 – 3,000 languages under threat out of 6,700 known languages. • The majority of languages that are considered either endangered or moribund are in Africa and Asia.

•Of 250 distinct languages spoken in the middle belt of Africa, at least 100 have under 200 speakers. (Skutnabb-Kangas, 2000:54)

Image source:http://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Africa

Language genocide (linguicide) Linguistic genocide denotes the intentional

eradication of heritage and indigenous languages by dominant social groups.

Language is part of ‘who’ we are; when a language is ‘killed’, an intrinsic part of culture is also lost.

In many indigenous languages there are no ‘other’ language equivalents of ideas and phrases. For example, the te Reo Maori word ‘Mana’ cannot be translated comprehensively in any other language.

te Reo Maori

• Recognised as an official language in NZ; thought to be understood by around 4% of the population.

• te Reo can perhaps be considered on the brink of the ‘endangered’ category in terms of it’s health as a language.

• Whilst the Maori culture is maintained through other mediums.

Source: Maori.org.nz

Personal experience

Palmerston North Girls’ High School offers four languages to students; te Reo Maori, French, German and Japanese.

Whilst the latter three focused solely on language learning, te Reo Maori classes often involved a wealth of cultural experiences.

Conclusion

Language death is avoidable and can be combated through language documentation and language revitalisation.

The onus lies with both parents and governments to ensure the survival of at risk languages.

Celebration of heritage languages is also necessary for the maintenance of cultural identity as Jacqueline Rizk confirms.