• Weekly Discussion Posts
  • Language Learning Journals
  • Cultural Artifacts
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Discussions
  • My Content

You need to be a member of The SDLAP Ning to add comments!

Join The SDLAP Ning

Comments are closed.

Discussion Post #8

So many languages are used all over the world, but so many have also gone extinct. The languages that become extinct are usually spoken by a smaller population, and as that population becomes older, the language gets lost. In the video we watched, the individuals who spoke the near-extinct language could hardly hear, speak, or communicate. These languages need to be taught to the younger generation so that they do not disappear as the older generation passes away. Sometimes these languages are not passed down the line because the increase in communication and connection extends the hand for larger languages to take over. As the article says, it is also more difficult to save some native languages when there are hundreds in the area. It said that even Nigeria has 500 different languages spoken by the people. Over time, these languages start to share with one another or are just completely forgotten overall. When these languages reach extinction, all the stories, culture, and history…

Read more…
Started by Emma Butcher in Spring 2025 Ning Discussion Posts
0 Replies

Discussion #8

When a language dies, a culture loses identity and pride. Languages go extinct when a dominant language is adopted through cultural assimilation or colonization. To preserve the language, linguistics documents with dictionaries, textbooks, recordings, and cultural events. A “dead” language is not really dead but dormant because there is documentation to revive the language. To bring it back, there are summer programs, immersion schools, radio programs, and the internet. To improve the visibility of a language, it is used in song lyrics and to celebrate the language, to be proud of it. Community-based educational efforts were seen in Canada when elders were teaching young children their native language. Nigeria did the same thing for the language Olukumi. They named the children with the language and implemented lots of cultural events such as festivals, language retreats, and traditional culinary workshops. Examples of media and digital technology are the use of national media…

Read more…
Started by Gisselle Gonzalez in Spring 2025 Ning Discussion Posts
0 Replies

Discussion Post #7

Looking back at my initial learning plan, I think things are progressing steadily, though not without some adjustments. One of the biggest changes has been a shift toward more consistent, smaller daily practice on multiple tasks rather than occasional long study sessions on one specific skill. On my plan I was trying to memorize the words and grammar every day, but then I realized that it is not enough just memorizing them. I have to add in listening, writing and speaking in order to practice and fully understand how to use them. This has made my learning feel more manageable and effective. I’ve also started incorporating more materials such as videos, conversations, and real-world texts, which has helped me engage more naturally with the language.I’ve definitely integrated strategies and insights from class into my approach. For example, I’m more conscious of balancing fluency and accuracy, and I’ve been applying techniques like contextual guessing and focusing on meaning before…

Read more…
Started by Krystal Lin in Spring 2025 Ning Discussion Posts
0 Replies

Discussion #8

Languages go extinct when people stop being immersed in them and using them. This can happen through remote populations aging out and having less speakers to teach the next generation or more dominant languages being adopted in an area/community and thereby pushing out the minority languages. When a language dies, it’s not just a means to communicate that dies. It erases tradition and culture, leaving important historical and social means of expression behind. With every language that dies, history and a means of understanding others dies with it. Dead languages can be brought back to life through dedicated efforts and persistence. Linguists can help preserve at-risk languages and bring dead languages back to life by fostering the conditions languages need to thrive. Such conditions include, but are not limited to, an immersive environment where people can learn the language naturally, an initiative led by local speakers of said environment to keep the language alive, and lobby for…

Read more…
Started by Julie Strickland in Spring 2025 Ning Discussion Posts
0 Replies