Enga mellom fjella

Language Retention

This was my response to windac's entry "Invalid Entry"  which included comments about Native Languages:

Not only can recordings be made on tape but a video trained on the face (not my face ... never ) can pick up expressions and subtleties of lip and jaw and tongue movements (both front and side views is better). Any recordings should be top-shelf. Guided conversations are fine, but just plain conversation and old fashion story-telling are ab-fab-wunnerful.

As for keeping-it-alive ... languages are needed to access community. They usually die last in the home or in ritualistic religious or legalist environments (like Latin or Sac/Fox in Iowa).

School can reinforce or destroy usage of language (like Haskell, a BIA school, did for years). Bilingualism is feared in America but has been embraced elsewhere. Paraguay does quite well with Guaraní/Spanish. The best and brightest at our public university (KU) are multi-lingual. Language retention need not be approached as difficult.

Wikipedia is a great place to translate, submit and store articles. The more the better. There is no reason why every kid can't have access to the local culture in their Native language. No reason why anything a 6th grader would read can't be translated. It would take time, yes. But what it really takes is volition and action.

Local folks, not Native, could also be encouraged to learn the language as my grandfather did. He was raised speaking German and English, but when he moved his family to Okmulgee, he learned Mvskoke (Creek) as well. This is not an unreasonable request ... that neighbors should respect each other enough to learn their language.

Wish I were working on this with you-all! You're how far away from Milwaukee? Madison? Minneapolis? Greyhound ain't expensive, but MegaBus is cheaper! Any cheap motels in the area? I mean ... real cheap.

I'd really love to hear from folks about language retention, healing, death and resurrection. I had too many courses in Linguistics and find this more than fascinating.



Peter (taken in Briggs, Oklahoma in 2004). Happy 26th birthday.