1) Read: NYT “Tribe Revives Language on Verge of Extinction”
2) Watch the 2007 Interview with David Harrison, “When Languages Die.”
How do languages go extinct? Respond to the readings, and reflect on what happens when a language dies? How can linguists help preserve a language? Can a ‘dead’ language ever be brought back to life? What efforts are currently underway to document linguistic diversity?
Replies
Languages go extinct as the number of people using the language decreases and there are no speakers left to preserve or teach the language. When a language dies, whether it may be revived depends on if documentation of the language was preserved. In the case of the Siletz Language, it was and was able to attract eager learners throughout the world through their online Siletz Dictionary. In order to preserve a language, linguists must document and learn from native speakers. This can be quite difficult as not every native speaker would want to share their knowledge with an outsider. Whether it may be due to the lack of trust towards outsiders due to historical injustices or the opposition to technology, some native speakers are reluctant to pass on their knowledge, even if it would mean the cessation of their language. Some might question why we should spend any effort on the preservation of languages that are seldom used. Yet, we must realize that language and culture and inseparable, therefore, when a language dies, its co-existing culture will turn to a ghost of itself. There are many efforts currently that promote the documentation of linguistic diversity. One effort is called the Endangered Languages Project. Their mission is to "put technology at the service of the organizations and individuals working to confront the language endangerment by documenting, preserving, and teaching the endangered languages."
Languages go extinct when there is no speaker left to use the language or the current native speakers are too old to pass it on to the younger generation. Based on the readings we truly do not know what we lose when an entire language goes extinct, as we predict that from the 700 languages in use today only 300 will remain. As stated in the video losing these languages are like losing historical monuments that are important to the whole of human history. We are not only losing a language we are losing cultural, scientific, and mathematical ties that completely change our view on the world. They explained how a certain language in Siberia has different words for types of reindeer that would be very lengthy to explain in English; this difference in vocabulary exhibits not only how different languages experience their world but what they deem important. Another brilliant example was how in Alaska they would categorize trout and salmon together, to our American lenses we distinguish them as separate types of fish, however, in the 90s research found that genetically they are identical. This is very important to note that we cannot view our world through eurocentric or western lenses, and it applies to our conservation of different languages that are spoken in smaller communities. Linguistics is currently in a rush against time trying to record and maintain records of languages that are a risk of extinction. A dead language cannot entirely be brought back to life, as only native speakers who learned from other native speakers can really maintain that language in its original state. The Siletz tribes dictionary is an important case of where a language can still maintain its ties and grow their language community.
I spoke about a somewhat similar topic in one of the previous discussion posts. There is a growing concern for the endangerment of the sign language dialect used by Deaf and HoH Philadelphia natives. In this case, I believe that linguists and ASL teachers can help preserve this language by acknowledging the regional differences and making a greater effort to differentiate between "standard" ASL and that of Philadelphia ASL. A main reason as to why the Philadelphia ASL is becoming endangered is due to how Deaf children raised in Philadelphia are being taught ASL by people who are not from Philadelphia and were not part of the older generation of Deaf and HoH individuals who signed in this way. Thus, it is important that individuals who are natives are given more of an opportunity to teach and document their language.
I also recall in one of our classes how, when were were shown the Endangered Language Project website, one of the languages Dr. Marsh-Soloway briefly clicked on was a form of sign language. I went back this website to view the sign languages that were endangered. For one of the languages, Al-Sayyid Bedouin Sign Language (ABSL), it discusses how the language has arisen in the last 70 years due to individuals with congenital deafness being born into the community. In "The Forgotten Endangered Languages: Lessons on the Importance of Remembering from Thailand's Ban Khor Sign Language", the author talks about how much research done by linguists and anthropologists regarding sign languages have focused on national sign language and not indigenous or original sign languages. Linguists and anthropologists can play a crucial role in the preservation of endangered sign languages by giving attention to indigenous and original sign languages and documenting them. I am led to believe that can also help with investigating ties or language trees between national and indigenous/original sign languages as well.
Currently, I think that unless there was a sufficient amount of resources that detailed how the particular language was used (such as was provided by the Siletz Dee-ni Talking Dictionary), it would be very difficult to bring a "dead" language back to life. Even if it were successful, it is hard to say how the culture that accompanied that language would also be brought back to life. In the NYT article's case, not only was there a native speaker who as willing to document the language, but there was also already a tie to the tribe community. Thus, it would also be important that there were at least a few people still alive who knew the language and the contexts that it was used in as well.
When researching efforts for documenting sign language diversity, I learned of how there are many projects going on currently (such as the Philadelphia Sign Language research project and UNESCO's Endangered Languages Survey (https://www.uclan.ac.uk/research/explore/projects/sign_languages_in...)). Through documentation of what sign languages are currently endangered, it can provide a crucial database for which sign languages linguists should take special attention towards to prevent extinction.
A language dies when it no longer used regularly and goes extinct when the last speaker dies and there is no documentation of the language. Since many small languages are only oral, they have never been written down or documented in any way. With several thousand languages around the world, the most common global languages (English, Spanish, etc.) tend to outcompete smaller, more local languages in terms of regular and effective communication. Some linguistic efforts have gone towards preserving endangered languages by documenting them through audio recordings and empowering the communities to continue speaking their native language. Sometimes, this may not work.
A ‘dead’ language can be revived, because it can be declared dead before all of the speakers of it are dead. After the language has been documented, it can be spread further. For example, the one article talked about the Siletz language, which was declared dead. However, one speaker managed to create an extensive online dictionary of the language, including audio recordings. As this was accessible to all tribe members, a movement grew to continue their culture and language, encouraging more tribe members and communities to learn the language. With the extensive documentation and cohesive effort to teach the language, the Siletz language managed to come back to life.
This ideal, however, can be extremely difficult in practice. Some small languages are only spoken by limited communities, and these communities may not always be willing to share. Furthermore, these communities are typically oppressed and struggling, requiring external assistance to preserve the language. The resources necessary to preserve the languages may not be accessible to the community members seeking to document the language. For example, one of the largest issues for small, indigenous communities is crossing the ‘digital divide,’ likely an unfamiliar tool to most of these groups. The Siletz tribe managed to overcome this challenge with their online dictionary, setting an indispensable example for future preservation efforts. They are used as a prime example of how an indigenous group can successfully document and preserve its language, although this may not be as effectively conducted in other tribes.
A question that arises frequently while preserving linguistic diversity is ‘why should we care?’ This is likely due to an oversimplification of language as merely a tool of communication. Although languages are used primarily for communication with others, cultural values are exemplified and preserved through language. Unique ways to show respect, words for obscure ideas, and types of pronouns are examples of how a language is strongly associated with culture and values. When the language of a community dies, a significant part of their culture dies with it.
Although a global monoculture and language would likely improve communication and cooperation, by minimizing conflicting values, the loss of cultural diversity is an immeasurable price to pay.