The race to save Indigenous languages (fwd link)

[Phillip E Cash Cash]

The race to save Indigenous languages

By Louisa Rebgetz
Posted Mon Feb 8, 2010 10:25am AEDT
Australia

Experts are working hard to record several Top End Aboriginal
languages that are down to their very last speakers.

In the remote Northern Territory community of Wadeye linguists say
four languages will be gone in the next decade.

Patrick Palibu Nudjulu is a Magati Ke elder, custodian of the Rak
Naniny clan and is one of two remaining speakers of the Magati Ke
language.

His sick and elderly sister can speak Magati Ke, but not to the point
where she can help in the documentation of the language.

Maree Klesch works closely with Mr Nudjulu through her job at the
Endangered Languages Centre at Batchelor Institute for Indigenous
tertiary education.

Access full article below:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/08/2812936.htm?section=australia