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The major issue languages are facing is globalization. Due to increased interaction between cultures, the “big” languages are becoming more and more prominent. Even though there are around 7,000 languages currently being spoken, around 85 languages are spoken by the majority of world’s population. Around half of the current languages will most likely go extinct within the next century. Furthermore, when different tribes mix, they adopt features of culture and language from the other groups. This can lead to a loss in the original language. Many languages only have a few fluent speakers left and these are often elderly people. This can hinder the preservation of a language, especially if they are losing their ability to hear or speak clearly. Many smaller languages also have no writing system, but are solely oral in nature. This can lead to great challenges in preserving the respective language. In addition to this, small groups oftentimes face oppression and pressures from the outside to learn a different language rather than their own indigenous tongue. One of these examples are former boarding schools for native American people that aimed at getting rid of traditions and the culture.

Linguists are making an effort in preserving language through spreading awareness of the crisis languages are facing. Studying different languages and recording fluent speakers can help to preserve the language for a long time because these materials can be made available to everyone and especially to the people and their ancestors. Furthermore, linguists are working with indigenous people to build online dictionaries in order to find people globally that are interested in learning the language or about the language. This can help to prevent languages from going extinct, however, it is not very likely to completely revive a language after it has gone extinct just with the current strategies in place.

It is very important for linguists to preserve language because of the vast knowledge that is relayed through language. Different people have a different knowledge of the world around them, the environment, and the living species. Therefore, it is important to preserve different languages and learn about the way they see the world. However, differences in gestures and words can make it hard for linguists to correctly interpret languages other than their own.  

The song Là Anh Đó by Trương Nguyễn Hoài Nam was performed live for the first time on a Vietnamese show called Bài Hát Hay Nhất. The show is organized in a similar fashion to The Voice. The song was sung in the perspective of the spirit of a girl's dead boyfriend. It tells the story of her crying while hugging her boyfriend's body after a traffic accident as his spirit watches the scene. Trương Nguyễn Hoài Nam had witness an accident where this happened (minus the boyfriend's spirit) and has also been in a car accident where he needed to be in physical rehabilitation to resume normal life. I thought the story behind the song is interesting. As a developing country, Vietnam's traffic regulations (traffic lights, crosswalks, etc.) is not the best. The combination of heavy traffic and lack of regulations leads to a high rate of accidents in major cities such as Sài Gòn. This is especially true during major holidays like New Years where everyone is rushing to return home. I asked some of my Vietnamese friends and they say that crossing the street in Vietnam is not difficult, but you have to be prepared because drivers will continue driving around you. I think this song became so popular not only because it was so moving, but also because it is relatable to many city dwellers.

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/traffic-accidents-kill-111-over-four-day-new-year-holiday-in-vietnam-3862261.html

Languages go extinct as they gradually become less and less commonly spoken and even less so documented. Languages like Chulym is also not a written language, which makes it even more difficult in conservation efforts. For Chulym, there are only about thirty-something fluent speakers of Chulym left. Efforts being made involve audio recordings, dictionary building, nuances. With linguists and other people who are interested in the language itself, there can be efforts made in conservation. In trying to preserve a language that is only spoken by a handful of people, I believe initiatives are very difficult, especially since it is hard to gain the trust of the community and breaking through to them. K. David Harrison mentioned in his interview that it has been easier for him to go into communities in Siberia regarding these efforts, but he faces more difficulty in North America in terms of going into communities to perform the same tasks.

As an outsider, linguists can serve as people who can better analyze the structures and cadences of language, but there will be many nuances that only native-speakers will ever be able to analyze. Even as someone who is a native-speaker of English, there will be many things I will never be able to explain, but having an outsider as another point of reference is extremely useful in language conservation efforts. I believe that a language can be conserved, but to be able to bring it back into use/life is an extremely difficult task. Even in modern times, I think it is difficult to reuse a language that may have died within a community. There may be language courses offered or speaking clubs, but be able to reintroduce a dying language back into use is a task that is still something that I think society struggles with. If the language still remains in elders, it may not necessarily be something that will be an easy task for other members of the community to utilize, if there is not someone already speaking it in the family.

For linguistics researching and performing this work, I think it is an extremely valuable and important task to conserve, but to figure out how to reintroduce the language back into use, will be something we all still have to figure out. 

Discussion Post #8

My plan for the two weeks before Spring Break was to practice dictation in preparation for the midterm. To do this, we paused the weekly new vocabulary and free-talk sessions. We agreed to postpone learning the household goods vocabulary until after Spring break. The dictation practice was as difficult as I anticipated. Half way through the practice article, I had to tell her that it was too much. It took 45 minutes just to do half the article. After some conversation about the difficulty level we agreed to use the practice article for the midterm as well. Only half of the half we practiced will be on the midterm, but I will not know which half. The second week was spent just for midterm testing. I improved immensely from the practice session to the midterm, but I think the length for dictation was still too difficult.

My Language partner and I agreed to continue dictation practice for the next two weeks, but with much shorter paragraphs. We agreed on 5 sentences every lesson. I think this will be much more manageable. If my dictation skills improve, this number will be amended. Additionally, for the next two week we will continue with reading practice using news articles. We will also try to find some northern dialect video clips to practice my listening skills.

Overall, there wasn't a lot of new things the two weeks before Spring break because just one week was spent on testing. However, I think it was good to spend one week on dictation practice. It was an exercise I was most reluctant to start because I knew writing is my weakest language skill. Having it on the midterm forced me to practice it seriously.

I was appalled to read that Siletz Dee-ni only has about five speakers left. I do not understand how a language can only have five speakers. I speak English (spoken by 1.5 billion people) and Spanish (437 million people) and am learning Korean (75 million people). All three of those languages are very popular. I am thankful that English is my native language because it is the most widely spoken language worldwide. I learned Spanish through my school, which only offered Spanish or French, but they are very common languages. I am learning Korean so that I can communicate with a very important person in my life. All of the languages I know and am learning are spoken by many people. A factor that I consider when deciding which language to learn is how many additional people I can communicate with. I would be hesitant to learn an entirely new language if I could only then communicate with five other people.

The point of language is communication. A language goes extinct when new ideas are no longer being created in it. If a language is only used to refer to old ideas, it will die. For example, Siletz is preserved in song for certain native dances. However, unless there are new songs or new ideas being made in Siletz, there will be no new communication in the language. The case of preserving Siletz is unique because it is closely tied with the history of how American Indians were treated by the American government. The Siletz tribe was declared dead, but managed to regain its federally recognized status. The mission to maintain the language is made even more difficult by the fact that it is also a challenge to maintain the culture and status of the tribe.

Linguists can help preserve a language by encouraging more people to speak it. Technology can be a helpful resource. Bud Lane is working on the online talking dictionary for Siletz Dee-ni. Jen Johnson is texting with tribe members in Siletz. I am tempted to say that another way linguists can preserve a language is by having people learning it as their first language. The problem is: I would not want those people to be limited to only talking with the few other native speakers. Having many people speak the same language promotes diversity in other ways because it helps people learn about others who are different than themselves. Finally, the most obvious way of preserving a language is to teach it in schools, because children can grow up and then teach it to their kids.

My immediate response is that a ‘dead’ language can be brought to life; however, I am not sure why it would be. Someone would have to be incredibly passionate about reviving that language and get others to learn it as well. It seems unrealistic to bring a ‘dead’ language back to life.

At first, I didn’t see the downside of having an uncommon language die out. Not many people are directly affected. Furthermore, having more people speak the same language is beneficial because they can communicate with each other. After watching the video, I learned that having more people who know uncommon languages can result in more collective knowledge. This can lead to technological, healthcare, societal, and general advancements for multiple cultures. Additionally, other languages can offer new ideas about different aspects of life, such as mythology and religion.

I was conflicted while learning about this topic. I value cultural diversity. I also see the practical benefits of having many people speak the same language. This allows for easier communication and less misunderstanding among a diverse group of people (except for linguistic diversity). For example, the term “English speakers” encompasses a massive group of people of different races, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, et cetera. However, I also understand that less popular languages reflect the unique beauty and essence of a specific culture. They also offer value in their unique structures. For Siletz, this is revealed in how Jen Johnson “fell in love with its cadences.” This point is further emphasized in younger tribe members learning Siletz because “it can sound pretty cool.” My question now is, “How do we balance increased communication among people of different backgrounds, while also appreciating linguistic diversity?” After reflecting further on this question, I’ve wondered if maybe linguistic diversity isn’t different from other forms of diversity. We should promote diversity for the minorities who would otherwise be underappreciated, but also because, when the minority is silenced, the majority is missing out on the valuable contributions they could offer.

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Reasons for languages to go extinct include the domination of certain languages, lack of interests/use for learning the language, and lack of documentation/recording of the language making them very fragile. Our reading gives an example of the domination of language; several groups with varying languages were forced to stay near each other. To communicate, the languages with less speakers learned the language with the most speakers and gradually these languages with less speakers became extinct. According to Harrison, there are 84 dominant languages spoken in the world today even though there are 7,000 languages in the world. To preserve languages and linguistic diversity, linguists are compiling documentation on these languages. Documentation includes written record and recordings of the language spoken by native speakers. Additionally they are trying to increase interests in these languages, both to increase speakers and to decrease prejudice against these languages. These efforts are important because I think its extremely difficult if not impossible for a 'dead' language to be brought back to life. Take Latin for example. Even with abundant documentation of Latin and people studying the language, Latin is rarely spoken verbally let alone with unknown languages with limited documentation.

In the interview, Harrison compared the loss of languages to a loss of major world artifacts and monuments. I agree with this. Language is a major part of culture, embedding ideas, beliefs, and the knowledge of and about its speakers. Its loss would be detrimental to the study of other subjects such as history.

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Dant Kanti is a wonderful example of how India has herbal alternative "medicines" for almost everything! In Hindi it is called Ayurveda or Adurvedic Medicine. It is based on an ancient system of herbal remedies and an understanding of using natural products to achieve balance in the body and mind.

Dant Kanti is a toothpaste which is made all out of herbs in a calcium carbonate base. It can also have fluoride added, since Indians might not get fluoride from the purified water in India. Some of the herbs include neem, spearmint, clove, "porcupine flower", "false black pepper", turmeric, among many others which we don't have in the U.S.

The color of the toothpaste is a rich brown (it isn't like the sparkling white toothpaste in commercials!) and it tastes predominantly like clove. I think it tastes great - it's a nice change from the mint toothpaste I have been using my whole life.

As you can see, the packaging is in both English and Hindi. Most packaging and advertising in India is in at least two languages (English and the local language) so it makes it easier to me to find items I need in the shops.

Kathak is one of the eight traditional dances of India, and it originates from Hindi-speaking northern India. Each dance is considered to be telling a story, with intricate feet movements and facial expressions explaining the narrative. The word Kathak comes from Sanskrit (a precursor to modern Hindi) for story (katha) and one who tells a story (kathakar). In fact, modern Hindi has retained those words, although I'm not sure if the pronunciation is the same. The original dancers of Kathak are thought to be wandering groups of performers, who would later play a role in entertaining the courts of north India.

There are three main forms of Kathak, with the distinctions being in the relative use of feet and arm movements, and facial expressions. They are performed with the purpose of expressing stories - usually of great religious or mythical figures - although now the people of India may not be knowledgeable enough of the art form to understand the "language" of the movements. Kathak can be performed with Indian classical instrumental music, as well as with Slokas and Bhajans, which are Sansckrit/Hindi religious songs of devotion to Hindu deities.

Gypsy Kathak dancers are thought to have influenced the development of movement art in Europe as well. In fact, some people believe that the popular Spanish Flamenco dance is based on Indian Kathak dance. If you watch videos of both, you will indeed see many similarities.

Here is a TED talk and performance of Kathak dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=64&v=Fz_Tpp0q73A

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The past couple of weeks included Spring Break, so I took a break from all school-related tasks.

I have been working with Duolingo Hindi, and using my textbooks sporadically. In my meetings with Abhi, we have practiced conversations, with topics like shopping, food, family, and wedding plans. Grammar topics included past and future verb tenses, as well as some unique aspects of casual conversation.

Last month I saw a lot of growth in my Hindi learning, but the past couple of weeks I feel that I have plateaued. I feel discouraged about that, but I hope the way to get back on track is with proper planning.

I am seriously considering attending Zabaan Language School in New Delhi. They have a intensive beginner program and an intensive intermediate program - both are for 4 weeks each. I will probably do the beginner course to start, because it will help me with review.

This coming week I need to buckle down and get serious again - it's hard coming back from Spring Break! My goals for this/next week are as follows:

Writing/Reading goals: Reach level 2 on Duolingo skills "Animals", "Activity", and "Adjectives"

Interpersonal Communication goals: look through ACTFL benchmarks and decide accordingly.

Speaking/Listening goals: Mango next chapter

Course goals: start thinking about final research presentation

During my trip to Toronto I stayed in Chinatown and decided to look for an authentic Korean restaurant that is not too westernized. I wanted to try authentic Korean food to get to know Korean culture better. I ended up going to a restaurant called Biwon, or 비원, which means “taste of secret garden”. It was very authentic and run by Koreans, soley speaking Hangul with each other. I received six plates with small portions of various side dishes, called Banchan, as well as a pot of Korean tea, Boricha, upon ordering the food. The side dishes included Kimchi, Sukjunamul, Kkadugi, Japchae, Mu Saenghae, and Gaji namul. As a main course, I ordered Dduk Bokki and Bulgogi, or marinated sirloin beef and rice cakes. The person accompanying me on my trip to Toronto ordered Bokeum Bap, stir fried rice with chicken. It was a great to experience an authentic Korean meal, including Banchan and Boricha, to get in touch with the culture related to my target language through this experience, and to hear people speak Korean in a natural setting.

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I watched a documentary this week about Anglo-Indians and I would like to talk a little bit about that. The film is called "A Calcutta Christmas" and was produced in 1998. Some of the information may be a bit dated.

India was ruled by the British since the mid-20th century, and Anglo-Indians are remnants of that rule. They are the descendants of British-Indian marriages, and were meant to bring alliances between the two counties closer (and help business/British rule). While Anglo-Indians used to be mostly upper-class and lived a very privileged and separated life in India, they have now become a sort of half-way race between the cultures, not fitting into either. The British do not fully accept them, and India does not fully accept them.

According to the documentary, most of the wealthier Anglo-Indians have since moved to Britain or Australia. In fact, when India first gained independence, there was a large migration of Anglo-Indians moving to what they considered their "home country". However, many of the less affluent Anglo-Indians remained in India, serving as remnants of a previous era. This documentary in particular was about a group of destitute older people who lived in an old-age home called ". Some of them live in an old-age home called "Tollygunge Homes" in Kolkata.

Watching the film was a unique experience because to felt like stepping into a former time - one where Indian customs, mannerisms, and language sounds blended with British. Many of the mannerisms of the residents of Tollygunge Homes were very British - a particular way of the folding the hands, listening to Pavarotti, or dressing in suits and vintage British clothes. And yet other aspects were definitely from Indian culture - a certain way of eating rice with the fingers or the uniquely thick and musical Indian-English accent.

Some of the more salient parts of the film were the descriptions of racism and prejudice between Anglo-Indians and "pure" Indians. There was one Anglo-Indian man that was relatively darker skinned, and his wife felt the need to defend her decision to marry him. She said she didn't pay any thought to the color of his skin (even though his whole life he was mistreated for it) but she married him because he was a "very, very, very nice man". She said, in context of how people mistreated his for his color,

"What is the difference? He is a human being - he has as much feelings as anybody else has. They even told it to my face in this place, 'What did you see enough to marry him?' I saw something you all could not have seen. I don't look for the complexion or the features. I look for the nature of the person. And I have never regretted one day having married my husband. Never. And if I had to do it again, I would do it again and again. Because, honestly I'm not saying it because he's [here], but he's a very, very, very nice man." [Below is a photo of the couple.]

There is certainly a lot of animosity between differently perceived groups in the world, and India is no exception, but it takes one decision at a time like marrying a "very, very, very nice man" or helping those different from you, to make the world a better place.

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While I am currently not learning Turkish, the discussion posed in class about each individual’s learning plans illuminated some of the aspects of my own learning plan that may not work very well in practice. Many students mentioned how parceling out specific times for specific activities can be detrimental to the flow of a conversation or learning opportunity. I do not do this in my learning plan, but I do limit my learning to specific topics, with a new topic being introduced along a regular time frame. I feel that in order to create a more organic discussion-based learning opportunity (especially when learning with a language-learning mentor), these topics can act more as guidelines or preparation for a discussion. For example, if I prepare by learning vocabulary on a certain topic, it is very likely I will want to speak about that topic. However, if the conversation is naturally steered into another direction, this discussion is still very useful to my pursuit of Turkish. Another thing I learned from current Turkish language learners is that their language-learning mentor allows them to make mistakes, and then, instead of correcting them, tries to have them identify and fix those mistakes. While I am unable to make a claim about Turkish culture in general (it is dangerous to make one person representative of a whole culture), it seems this may be evidence that the language-learning mentor (Mervé ?) places some value in independence (allowing one to solve his/her own problems).

It seems possible—and potentially harmful towards later language learning—that the main aspect of communicative competence that I will be learning is only linguistic competence. While this will provide some benefit in that I know vocabulary and methods of connecting that vocabulary into sentences and phrases, this will not be enough to provide me with communicative competence, as I am missing out on the sociolinguistic, strategic, and discourse competences that are encompassed within communicative competence. While to a small extent, language can be separated from culture (as seen by someone exhibiting purely linguistic competence), obviously one cannot communicate effectively without some cultural knowledge as well (whether this be idioms, patterns of speech, or even when to speak or tone of voice). Luckily, my learning plan seems to deal a little bit with these other aspects of communicative competence, including strategic competence, as I aim to reduce any communication breakdown errors by learning how to ask what certain words mean as well as how to say a certain word in the target language. While I will be addressing discourse competence by speaking weekly with a language mentor, I feel I should add a writing aspect to my learning plan so that I become more comfortable portraying coherent thoughts both orally and through writing. Sociolinguistic competence seems the most challenging of all the competences, and I feel I will only gradually learn this by asking questions of my language learning mentor as well as observing her own speaking interactions with others. Of course, the best way to gain sociolinguistic competence (as well as communicative competence in general) would probably be to go abroad.