Buffet, Gates, & the future of linguistic diversity

[Susan Penfield]

All,
I can certainly confirm what Phil adds here -- and I have shared these ideas
with my contact at the Gates Foundation. Like many private foundations, the
Gates Foundation supports projects with a particular focus in a rotating
fashion. Their interest in Native American concerns has been limited to
tribal libraries In our case, we were able to cover training in
language-learning technology by orchestrating an affiliation with a tribal
library. However, they have not yet been interested in broadly supporting
language revitalization nor any language-related projects that are not
focused on tribal libraries.

Best,
Susan
On 7/1/06, phil cash cash <cashcash at email.arizona.edu> wrote:
>
> Yes, I agree Don.  The Gates Foundation has had technology outreach
> programs targeting native communities, however, it seems these programs
> were short lived and did not continue for one reason or another.
>
> I do believe however that, at least from the perspective of Gates-funded
> projects carried out here in the SW several years back, that language
> was and is a compelling component for any community development
> project.  Tribes certainly made this an important issue.
>
> Based on my own experience on working on a Gates-funded project, I can
> say that these projects were extremely valuable and rewarding.  I
> surely hope to see the continuance of community-oriented technology
> development in the future coming from the Gates Foundation!
>
> Phil Cash Cash (cayuse/nez perce)
> UofA, ILAT list mg
>
>
> Quoting d_z_o <dzo at BISHARAT.NET>:
>
> > With the news of Warren Buffet's donation of most of an estimated $44
> > billion to the Gates Foundation (GF), and remembering that the GF has
> > funded some programs for endangered languages, one wonders whether any
> > of this new mass of capital can be directed for use for language
> > revitalization and linguistic diversity.  Is not just a question of
> > whether some more money can be allocated for specific projects, but
> > rather whether resources can be found to develop and implement
> > long-term programs for the development of minority languages.  There
> > are a number of important but relatively small programs to assist in
> > documentation of endangered languages, and there are sometimes
> > programs in individual countries to promote teaching of and
> > development of literature in certain languages, but there does not
> > seem to be any overarching strategy involving a range of actors (or
> > "stakeholders") involved in or concerned with language preservation
> > and development.
> >
> > At this time, when we read so often about about the current and
> > expected rates of language extinction, when many countries and
> > communities lack the resources to plan and manage for their own
> > linguistic diversity, when many children especially of minority groups
> > do not have access to formal education of any sort let alone in their
> > maternal language, and when older people in minority language
> > communities pass away taking with them knowledge that cannot be
> > replaced (the proverbial "when an elder dies, a library burns"), while
> > at the same time we have the resources, both monetary and
> > technological, to record, manipulate, produce, and instruct in any
> > language, there is an urgent need to develop bold, coherent and long
> > term strategies.
> >
> > Basically we seem to be faced with a window of opportunity of limited
> > duration, and an imperative to act promptly. The GF even with this
> > added capital, is not the only organization that can assist in this
> > area, so it shouldn't be singled out.  There are other organizations
> > that can and should contribute as well – philanthropic, national,
> > intergovernmental, etc.  However, given the amount of resources now at
> > the GF's disposal, and its implied link via its founder to information
> > technology (which has a great potential to help work language
> > development and revitalization), it certainly is a logical starting
> > place. And since this story is big in the news at this moment, maybe
> > it deserves some focused discussion in order to produce a strong
> > policy proposal?
> >
> > Don Osborn
>



-- 
Susan D. Penfield, Ph.D.


Department of English(Primary)
American Indian Language Devel.Institute
Department of Linguistics
Second Language Acquistion &Teaching
     Ph.D. Program
Dept. of Language,Reading and Culture
The Southwest Center (Research)

Phone for messages: (520) 621-1836
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