Development, language revitalization, and culture
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Peter Rohloff
Abstract
Language documentation efforts tend to target the most highly endangered languages. However, language endangerment is a complex phenomenon emerging from social, political and other power imbalances in multilingual language ecologies. Long-term solutions for addressing endangerment must therefore address these imbalances at their root causes. Here we share observations and experiences from the Guatemalan context in the hope of opening lines of similar inquiry into African contexts where many languages might be characterized as threatened but not endangered. We cast doubt on common top-down approaches to language support that see bilingual education and linguistic patrimony as strong sustaining forces. Rather, we suggest that providing development services (especially, healthcare) in linguistically and culturally responsible ways is a much more effective language maintenance strategy. Rather than language development, we advocate development through language. We share experiences working with Wuqu’Kawoq: Maya Health Alliance, a healthcare NGO serving Kaqchikel-speaking areas in Guatemala, as support for this model.
Abstract
Language documentation efforts tend to target the most highly endangered languages. However, language endangerment is a complex phenomenon emerging from social, political and other power imbalances in multilingual language ecologies. Long-term solutions for addressing endangerment must therefore address these imbalances at their root causes. Here we share observations and experiences from the Guatemalan context in the hope of opening lines of similar inquiry into African contexts where many languages might be characterized as threatened but not endangered. We cast doubt on common top-down approaches to language support that see bilingual education and linguistic patrimony as strong sustaining forces. Rather, we suggest that providing development services (especially, healthcare) in linguistically and culturally responsible ways is a much more effective language maintenance strategy. Rather than language development, we advocate development through language. We share experiences working with Wuqu’Kawoq: Maya Health Alliance, a healthcare NGO serving Kaqchikel-speaking areas in Guatemala, as support for this model.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Language endangerment and documentation
- Unintended consequences of methodological and practical responses to language endangerment in Africa 1
- Different cultures, different attitudes 37
- Ideologies and typologies of language endangerment in Africa 59
- The role of colonial languages in language endangerment in Africa 107
- Can a language endanger itself? 131
- “Is this my language?” 153
- Development, language revitalization, and culture 177
- Some challenges of language documentation in African multilingual settings 195
-
How to document particular domains or use documentary data to address specific issues
- Folk definitions in linguistic fieldwork 215
- Out of context 239
- Archaeological inspiration and historical inference 253
- Describing endangered languages 277
- Index 313
- Language index 317
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Language endangerment and documentation
- Unintended consequences of methodological and practical responses to language endangerment in Africa 1
- Different cultures, different attitudes 37
- Ideologies and typologies of language endangerment in Africa 59
- The role of colonial languages in language endangerment in Africa 107
- Can a language endanger itself? 131
- “Is this my language?” 153
- Development, language revitalization, and culture 177
- Some challenges of language documentation in African multilingual settings 195
-
How to document particular domains or use documentary data to address specific issues
- Folk definitions in linguistic fieldwork 215
- Out of context 239
- Archaeological inspiration and historical inference 253
- Describing endangered languages 277
- Index 313
- Language index 317
