ELL: RE: spam and conviction

Sun Apr 4 11:49:54 UTC 1999

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Date: Sun, 04 Apr 1999 18:49:54 +0700
From: Matthew McDaniel <akha at loxinfo.co.th>
Organization: The Akha Heritage Foundation
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Subject: Re: ELL: RE: spam and conviction
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I have repeatedly suggested to groups with endangered languages (and possibly
peoples) that they should start a newsletter about their work, a basic web
site
where materials can be collected and that in the end maybe we can find some
common ground issues where one solution might contribute much to everyone.

For instance, we struggle very hard to get computers for writers, a problem
almost unheard of at well to do Universities.  But what if in the future,
having come from this position, we keep this in mind and make spare computers
available for others struggling just as hard for used equipment?

The point is real production of corpus, solving real technical and logistic
problems, all headed to get books into villages.  Much of our work gets done
on
borrowed phone lines, slow internet service providers, used and broken
equipment and not enough time with huge real problems in the field.

It is hoped that our experiences and increasingly our sucesses can provide
assistance to the efforts of other groups.

If the endangered language concept is joined to the endangered people concept,
and that is moved out to the indigenous, and some common ground and
willingness
to help can be found, think what would come of it.  But be warned that the
crisis in many indigenous communities ignored and neglected for so long are
very hostile and one will find themselves thrown off the building so to speak
more than once.  But this should not be reason to descourage one from trying
to
build this bridge and bring perspectives closer together.

The Akha have been telling me and showing me their personal nightmares and
tragedies for years, and finally I put them on the net.  Some people don't
like
it.  It is not intended to offend, but to give voice from their world to the
world of other peoples.

Matthew

David Harris wrote:

> /my own work had been on the celtic languages, particularly welsh and
> /cornish.  both of these peoples are underrepresented within their large
> /political entity and have a long history of being repressed.  most, if not
> /all, case studies of endangered languages involve some sort of repression
> /or heavy influence from a majority language-speaking group.  but i hardly
> /think that endangered-languages-l is the place for me to promote
> /cymdeithas yr iaith gymraeg (the welsh language society, just to name one
> /example), or to gripe about british internal colonialism.
>
> I, for one, would be interested in hearing about the Welsh Language Society.
> Why do you feel this is an inappropriate forum? I'd also be interested in
> hearing about the situation in the Euskara communities in France and Spain,
> the Euchee project going on in Oklahoma, Hawaiian-speaking communities on
> the Big Island, etc. If Matthew is monopolizing the list, it's not his
> fault. Others involved in this work elsewhere in the world should take his
> initiative and get some information out on this list.
>
> Seriously, I think Matthew is right. What is the point of all the billions
> of dollars spent on academic  research if we are going to insist that it
> remain quarantined from the real world? I think this list is a good place
> for academic-oriented folks to interact with those out in the field. How
> else is this going to happen? And why would you think that this would be a
> bad thing? I'm afraid I don't understand.
>
> David Harris
> Washington, DC
>
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--

Matthew McDaniel
The Akha Heritage Foundation
386/3 Sailom Joi Rd
Maesai, Chiangrai, 57130
Thailand
Mobile Phone Number:  Sometimes hard to reach while in Mountains.
01-881-9288  when in Thailand
66-1-881-9288  when out  Thailand

Web Site:
http://www.akha.com
mailto:akha at loxinfo.co.th

US Address:

Donations by check or money order may be sent to:

The Akha Heritage Foundation
1586 Ewald Ave SE
Salem OR 97302
USA

Donations by direct banking:

In the US can be transfered to:

Wells Fargo Bank
Akha Heritage Foundation
Acc. # 0081-889693
Keizer Branch
Keizer, Oregon, USA

Outside the US:

Matthew Duncan McDaniel
Bangkok Bank Ltd
Acc.# 3980240778
Maesai Branch
Thailand

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