Native Language Renewal

Sun Apr 30 03:13:08 UTC 2006

Native American language renewal

by Jon Reyhner

Jon.Reyhner at nau.edu
  According to Michael Krauss of the Alaska Native Language Center,  
there are 210 different indigenous languages still spoken by American  
Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States and Canada out of the  
over 300 spoken before the arrival of Columbus. These languages have  
survived suppression in boarding schools and catastrophic population  
declines.
The question today is how much longer will these remaining languages  
survive. Children are no longer routinely being punished for speaking  
them in schools, but ironically many are not speaking them now that  
they can. Today, English language movies, television, and videotapes  
are doing what a century of washing mouths out with soap in boarding  
schools could not accomplish.
Krauss's research indicates that only 35 of the remaining languages  
in the United States and Canada are still being spoken by children.  
When children are no longer learning a language, the language is dying.
  The indigenous language revitalization resources presented here  
concentrate on organizations, web sites, and more recent publications  
that are likely to be readily available on the internet, in  
bookstores and university libraries, or by interlibrary loan.
PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS

American Indian Languages Development Institute (AILDI)
An annual summer training institute for indigenous language teachers  
and activists. A summary of the 20-year history of AILDI can be found  
at <http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/TIL_9.html>. For more information  
contact Karen Francis Begay, AILDI Coordinator; University of  
Arizona; Department of Language, Reading and Culture; P.O. Box  
210069, Tucson, AZ 85721-0069. Phone 520/621-1068. E-mail  
kfbegay at u.arizona.edu
http://w3.arizona.edu/~aisp/aildi.html
Endangered Language Fund (ELF)
ELF supports with small grants efforts by Native communities or  
scholars to do endangered language related work, such as preserving  
the texts of a Native culture, developing videotaped language  
instruction, and "generation skipping" language learning. For more  
information contact ELF, Department of linguistics, Yale University,  
P. O. Box 208236, New Haven, CT 06520-8236. E-mail elf at haskins.yale.edu
http://sapir.ling.yale.edu/~elf/index.html
Foundation for Endangered Languages (FEL)
FEL publishes a newsletter, holds annual meetings, and supports  
efforts to preserve indigenous languages with small grants. For more  
information contact FEL, Batheaston Villa, 172 Bailbrook Lane, Bath  
BA1 7AA, England. E-mail nostler at chibcha.demon.co.uk
http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Philosophy/CTLL/FEL/
Institute for the Preservation of the Endangered Languages of the  
Americas (IPOLA)
IPOLA collaborates with indigenous communities to revitalize and  
perpetuate the languages and culture of the original inhabitants of  
the Americas. For more information contact IPOLA, 560 Montezuma Ave.  
201-A, Santa Fe, NM 87501. Phone 505/820-0316. E-mail ipola at ipola.org
http://www.ipola.org/
The Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas  
(SSILA)
SSILA was founded in 1981 as an international scholarly organization  
representing American Indian linguistics. Membership is open to  
anyone interested in the scientific study of the languages of the  
Native peoples of Americas. Publishes a quarterly newsletter and a  
monthly e-mail bulletin. For more information contact SSILA, P.O. Box  
555, Arcata, CA 95518. Phone 707/826-4324. E-mail  
gollav at axe.humboldt.edu
http://www.ssila.org
VIDEOS

E Ola Ka '0lelo Hawai'i. (1997). 'Aha Punana Leo (P.O. Box 1265  
Kea'au, HI 96749). Describes the most successful effort for  
indigenous language revitalization in the U.S. It tells the story of  
over a century of decline for the Hawaiian language and the revival  
of its use in the past two decades. Through interviews, archival  
footage, and visits to Hawaiian language immersion classrooms, this  
video makes a powerful statement about the value of the Hawaiian  
language and culture for Native Hawaiians. The videotape describes  
how they learned about Maori "language nest" immersion preschools,  
implemented them in Hawaii, and then expanded Hawaiian language  
immersion instruction into the public schools of Hawaii by getting  
state English-only laws changed. Winner of two Canadian film festival  
awards. In Hawaiian with English subtitles, 28 minutes. $12.95. E- 
mail hauoli at leoki.uhh.hawaii.edu
http://www.ahapunanaleo.org/index.html
Transitions. (1991). Native Voice Public Television Workshop (VCB  
Room 172, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717). This film by  
Blackfeet producers explores the relationship between languages,  
thoughts, and culture and examines the impact of language loss in  
Native American communities. The film chronicles the loss of the  
Blackfeet language from 1890 to 1990. The film also illustrates the  
commonality of language loss amongst Indian tribes and other ethnic  
groups in America. A study guide to this video is available at
http://visions.montana.edu/NativeVoices/docs/StudyGuides/ 
transitions.html
  30 minutes, VHS educational use $99.95. E-mail nv at kusm.montana.edu  
http://visions.montana.edu/NativeVoices/docs/Films/index.html

INTERNET INDEXES, SITES, AND DISCUSSION GROUPS

Endangered-Languages-L Forum
  This e-mail list with associated web pages provides a world-wide  
communications vehicle and a central electronic archive for anyone  
working on or interested in the study and documentation of endangered  
languages. E-mail white.cloud at bigpond.com
http://carmen.murdoch.edu.au/lists/endangered-languages-l/
Index of Native American Language Resources on the Internet
One of the most comprehensive indexes of Native American language web  
sites. E-mail www at hanksville.org
http://www.hanksville.org/NAresources/indices/NAlanguage.html
Language Policy
This site has extensive information about language policy issues in  
the United States, including those related to endangered Native  
American languages. E-mail jwcrawford at compuserve.com
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JWCRAWFORD/
Native American Languages Links
Linguist Wayne Lehman maintains this site with over 80 useful links  
to web sites on specific American Indian languages. E-mail  
wleman at mcn.net
http://www.mcn.net/~wleman/langlinks.htm
Native American Language Resources
This site is maintained by the Center for Multilingual, Multicultural  
Research at the University of Southern California and has links to  
sites and full text publications concerning Native American  
languages. E-mail cmmr at rcf.usc.edu
http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~cmmr/Native_American.html#language resources
Teaching Indigenous Languages
An extensive collection of materials on revitalizing and teaching  
American Indian languages. It reproduces in full text the printed  
proceedings of the 1989 Native American Language Issues conference  
and the 1997 and 1998 Stabilizing Indigenous Languages conferences.  
It also contains over 50 columns on American Indian/Alaska Native  
Bilingual Education from the newsletter of the National Association  
of Bilingual Education. E-mail Jon.Reyhner at nau.edu
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/TIL.html
BOOKS, MONOGRAPHS, AND CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Cantoni, Gina. (Ed.). (1996). Stabilizing indigenous languages.  
Flagstaff, AZ: Northern Arizona University. 240pp.
The proceedings of the 1994 and 1995 Stabilizing Indigenous Languages  
Symposiums, which brought together tribal language activists and  
educators as well as experts on linguistics, language renewal, and  
language teaching. Contains sections on needs and rationale, language  
policy, families and communities, and education and the text of the  
Native American Languages Act of 1990. The articles by Joshua Fishman  
on "What Do You Lose When You Lose Your Language?" and "Maintaining  
Languages: What Works? What Doesn't?" are of special interest. A full  
text internet copy of this publication can be found at http:// 
www.ncbe.gwu.edu/miscpubs/stabilize/index.htm
Fishman, Joshua. (1991). Reversing language shift: Empirical and  
theoretical foundations of assistance to threatened languages.  
Clevdon, UK: Multilingual Matters. 431 pp.
This is the classic study of endangered language revitalization  
efforts worldwide, including Navajo in North America. It is a must- 
read for anyone interested in the subject.
Hinton, Leanne. (1994). Flutes of fire: Essays on California Indian  
languages. Berkeley, CA: Heyday Books. 270pp.
This book originally appeared as columns in News from Native  
California and includes information on both the beauty and uniqueness  
of indigenous languages and the Master Apprentice Model for passing  
on endangered indigenous languages from elders to young adults.
Hornberger, Nancy. (Ed.). (1996). Indigenous literacies in the  
Americas: Language planning from the bottom up. Berlin: Mouton de  
Gruyter. 393 pp.
Has sections on North America and Meso America. North American  
chapters address efforts by Navajo, Cochiti Pueblo, and others. To  
contact Mouton de Gruyter, phone 914/747-0110 or e-mail  
customerservice at degruyterny.com
McLaughlin, Daniel. (1992). When literacy empowers: Navajo language  
in print. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 216 pp.
Describes a model bilingual school and the community it serves in the  
Navajo Nation. The school teaches reading and writing in the Navajo  
language in both elementary and high school. The first chapter  
discusses theory and is somewhat difficult reading. Subsequent  
chapters are easier reading and provide fascinating information from  
school board members, school administrators, local tribal officials,  
and students on the topic of teaching Navajo. A review of this book  
can be found in the Spring/Summer 1997 issue of the Bilingual  
Research Journal, 21(2) at http://brj.asu.edu/articles/gourd.html
Reyhner, Jon. (Ed.). (1997). Teaching indigenous languages.  
Flagstaff, AZ: Northern Arizona University. 323 pp.
  Proceedings of the 1997 Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium.  
Has 25 papers on tribal and school roles, teaching students, teacher  
education, curriculum and materials development, language attitudes  
and promotion, and overviews of the topic. A full text version of  
this publication can be found at http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/ 
TIL_Contents.html
Reyhner, Jon. (Ed.). (1992). Teaching American Indian students.  
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. 328 pp.
  Contains information on the historical suppression of American  
Indian languages in schools and modern efforts at using American  
Indian languages in bilingual education programs. The foreword is by  
U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell.
Reyhner, Jon. (Ed.). (1990). Effective language education practices  
and Native language survival (Proceedings of the 9th annual NALI  
Institute). (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 342 512)
Eleven papers from the 1989 Native American Language Issues  
conference, including papers on Rock Point Community School and Maori  
adult language revitalization efforts and papers by Richard  
Littlebear and James Crawford. A full text version of this  
publication can be found at http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/ 
NALI_Contents.html
  Reyhner, Jon; Cantoni, Gina; St. Clair, Robert; & Yazzie,  
Evangeline Parsons. (1999). Revitalizing indigenous languages.  
Flagstaff, AZ: Northern Arizona University. 140 pp. + xx.
Proceedings of the 1998 Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium.  
The introduction to this volume provides an up-to-date overview of  
tribal language revitalization efforts. Its 11 papers describe  
language revitalization efforts and the use of writing and technology  
in those efforts. A full text version of this publication can be  
found at http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/RIL_Contents.html
Silver, Shirley & Wick, R. Miller. (1997) American Indian languages:  
Cultural and social contexts. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.  
433 pp. + xix.
A somewhat technical general introduction to American Indian  
languages and linguistics and the cultural and social domains in  
which these languages live.
SPECIAL ISSUES OF JOURNALS

Boyer, Paul. (Ed.). (1993, Spring). The pattern of language. special  
issue of Tribal College Journal, 4(4). 34 pp.
Includes "Finding a place for Navajo" by Clay Slate, "Healing the  
generations: For one family, a language is lost and rediscovered" by  
Eric Haase, "Lakota language survival and restoration" by Lydia  
Whirlwind Soldier, and "A specialized knowledge base for teaching  
American Indian and Alaska Native students" by Jon Reyhner, Harry  
Lee, and David Gabbard.
Henze, Rosemary & Davis, Kathryn. (Eds.) (1999, March). Authenticity  
and identity: Lessons from indigenous language education. Special  
issue of Anthropology and Education, 30(1). 124 pp.
  Contains five articles that discuss lessons from Alaska,  
California, and Hawai'i.
Kirkness, Virginia. (Ed.). (1989). Language is a gift from the  
Creator. Special issue of Canadian Journal of Native Education, 16 
(2). 112 pp.
A valuable resource, especially Elizabeth A. Brandt and Vivian A  
Youngman's "Language renewal and language maintenance: a practical  
guide" (pp. 42-77) and Augie Fleras's "Te kohanga reo: a Maori  
renewal program in New Zealand" (pp. 78-88).
  McCarty, Teresa L. & Zepeda, Ofelia. (Eds.). (1995, Winter),  
Indigenous language education and literacy. Special issue Bilingual  
Research Journal, 19(1). 213 pp.
Contains 13 useful articles in four sections: 1) Conceptualizing  
indigenous literacies, 2) The status of indigenous languages in the  
U.S. and Canada," 3) Models of indigenous language education, 4)  
Synthesis and discussion: the role of indigenous communities in  
language and culture renewal.
McCarty, Teresa L. & Zepeda, Ofelia. (Eds.). (1998). Indigenous  
language use and change in the Americas. Special issue The  
International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 132. 208 pp.
Articles assess the status and role of indigenous languages in the  
Americas. It has a special focus on the ideological and social forces  
that influence their use and vitality, with many of the contributions  
being Native speakers. Part 1 addresses indigenous languages in the  
USA. Part 2 has six articles on indigenous languages in Mexico and  
Latin America. Ordering information: $46.00 US from Mouton de  
Gruyter, 200 Saw Mill River Rd, Hawthorne, NY 10532.
McCarty, Teresa L., Watahomigie, Lucille J., & Yamamoto, Akira Y.  
(Eds.). (1999). Reversing language shift in indigenous America:  
Collaborations and views from the field. Special issue of Practicing  
Anthropology, 21(2). 60 pp.
Includes eight articles by prominent and less known language scholars  
addressing case studies and language ethics. Cost is $5.00 US from  
SfAA, P.O. Box 24083, Oklahoma City, OK 73124. Phone 405/843-5113. E- 
mail sfaa at telepath.com
Poggie, Jr., John J. (1988). Indian language renewal. Special section  
of Human Organization, 47(4), 283-353.
Contains seven articles on Indian language renewal. Of special  
interest are William L. Leap's "Applied linguistics and Indian  
language renewal" (pp. 283-291) and Elizabeth A. Brandt's "Applied  
linguistic anthropology and American Indian language renewal" (pp.  
322-329).
ONLINE ARTICLES, CHAPTERS & PAPERS

Crawford, James. (1998). Endangered Native American languages: What  
is to be done, and why? In Thomas Ricento & Barbara Burnaby (Eds.),  
Language and politics in the U.S. and Canada: Myths and realities.  
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. E-mail jwcrawford at compuserve.com
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JWCRAWFORD/brj.htm
McCarty, Teresa L. (1994). Bilingual education policy and the  
empowerment of American Indian communities. The Journal of  
Educational Issues of Language Minority Students, 14, 23-42. E-mail  
akindler at ncbe.gwu.edu
http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/miscpubs/jeilms/vol14/mccarty.htm
McCarty, Teresa L. & Dick, Galena Sells. (1996). Mother tongue  
literacy and language renewal: the case of Navajo. Literacy online:  
Proceedings of the 1996 World Conference on Literacy. E-mail  
wagner at literacy.upenn.edu
http://www.literacyonline.org/products/ili/webdocs/ilproc/ilprocMc.htm
Reyhner, Jon. (1993). American Indian language policy and school  
success. The Journal of Educational Issues of Language Minority  
Students, 12, Special Issue III, 35-59. E-mail Jon.Reyhner at nau.edu
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/BOISE.html
Reyhner, Jon & Tennant, Edward. (1995.) Maintaining and renewing  
Native languages. Bilingual Research Journal, 19(2), 279-304. E-mail  
Jon.Reyhner at nau.edu
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/Main.html
  Jon Reyhner is co-editor of Revitalizing Indigenous Languages  
(1999) and editor of Teaching Indigenous Languages (1997), Teaching  
American Indian Students (1992), and Effective Language Education  
Practices (1990). Currently he teaches bilingual multicultural  
education courses at Northern Arizona University.
Copyright © 2001-2006
Tribal College Journal
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