According to the NY Times article, when settlers in the 1850s went out West on the Oregon Trail, the Native Americans were split from their tribes and were placed in arbitrary groups with other Native Americans. By sheer numbers and persistence, the Siletz language prevailed over other tribes by clinging on over reservation lands and cultural anchors in songs and dances. By the 1970s, the Siletz language went from nonexistence to federally recognized status. I admire the persistence to keep the language alive through so much hardship.
Prior to the reading, I didn't know how a language could be revived. Through the Siletz language, opening a private online dictionary intended for only tribe members to the public and language preservation projects are a couple of ways, but even through random discoveries and fascination with how a language sounds can keep a language alive.
It's amazing how there are over 6,000 languages, and that half of those languages will die by the end of the century. I think languages can go extinct by having little materials to have others learn the language. Languages can also be fostered by very small groups, and though a smaller community can mean a stronger connection to the language, some are afraid to have the language stolen as "intellectual property". Having trust with culture groups is required to help the language grow and persevere. Linguists have also made efforts to document and attempt to preserve languages using current technology. For example, the "Endangered Language Project". The website not only documents languages but makes an effort to teach individuals as well. The website has the most current information on endangered languages along with language resources. Website users can also submit information or samples through text, audio, or video files if they have anything to contribute.
Link to Endangered Languages Project:
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The Endangered Languages Project looks really interesting! It showed me that preserving endangered languages is an important task. I'm also amazed by the immensity of the task, because each language has its unique vocabulary, grammar, alphabet, etc. And there are 3,000 languages on the website!