Apache language in home remains important for overall retention (fwd link)

[phil cash cash]

Apache language in home remains important for overall retention

Published: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 11:43 AM CST
(Second in five-part series)

Last week I wrote about our Community Language Survey and what it shows about
the rate of decline in people speaking Apache. This week I want to write about
why. What did the survey reveal about people's reasons for not speaking Apache?

The answers involve a “vicious cycle” and a language program in Hawaii.

The vicious cycle is this: people aren't learning Apache because they don't hear
it at home, and they don't hear it at home because people aren't learning it.

There are basically two types of non-speakers in our community. The first kind
are the people who don't speak Apache because they don't know how. The second
kind are the people who can speak Apache, but they speak English instead. Our
program for language renewal needs to be aware of both of these groups, so that
people who don't speak Apache can learn it, if they want, and people who do
speak Apache will feel comfortable using their language skills.

To access full article, follow the link below:
http://www.silverbelt.com/articles/2007/12/26/apache_moccasin/apache04.txt