Funds sought

[Andre Cramblit]

More funds sought to save Indigenous dialects

Thursday, 25 September 2003
http://www.abc.net.au/northwestwa/news/200309/s953311.htm

 An international endangered languages conference in Broome, in
north-west Western Australia, has renewed calls for an increase in
funding to help preserve some of the Kimberley's rare Aboriginal
dialects.

 The UK-based group, the Foundation for Endangered Languages, has hosted
its seventh annual conference to discuss how to best preserve minority
language groups.

 There are 30 different Aboriginal languages in the Kimberley, some of
which have already become extinct, while many have only a small number
of remaining speakers.

 The chairwoman of the Kimberley Language Resource Centre, June Oscar,
says funding for language preservation has not kept pace with real
costs.

 "I hope that it doesn't remain forever at the same level, that through
continued advocacy on the part of endangered language speakers and
their languages that we're able to bring some positive benefits and
changes," she said.