Workshop "Beliefs and Ideology on Endangered Languages"

[Peter Austin]

*** apologies for cross-posting ***

ELAP Workshop: Beliefs and Ideology on Endangered Languages
Friday 27 and Saturday 28 February, 2009

Convenors: Peter K. Austin, Julia Sallabank, Endangered Languages Academic
Programme, Department of Linguistics, SOAS 

Location:
Day 1: Birkbeck, rooms 152 and 153, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/maps/howtogethere 
Day 2: SOAS, room G50, Thornhaugh St, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
http://www.soas.ac.uk/visitors/location/maps/campus-maps.php 

Topic

The goal of the workshop is to highlight and discuss theoretical and
practical issues in the area of beliefs and ideology on endangered
languages, and especially views that have implications for language support
and revitalisation. Language ideologies have been described as
‘socioculturally motivated ideas, perceptions and expectations of language,
manifested in all sorts of language use’ Blommaert (1999:1). Blommaert goes
on to suggest that ‘there is now a widespread recognition of language
ideologies as a crucial topic of debate 
 when it comes to assessing the
motives and causes for certain types of language change’. The study of
language ideologies and beliefs may therefore provide insights into the
reasons for language shift and/or revival, and may help to determine the
success or otherwise of language revitalisation projects. 

Among the issues to be considered could be:

1. Are endangered languages fundamentally different from other languages
when it comes to beliefs and ideology? 

2. What, if any, are the consequences for language support and
revitalisation of the beliefs held by speakers of endangered languages?

3. To what extent can beliefs and ideologies be influenced by campaigning
and language planning?

4. What beliefs and ideologies do linguists have about endangered languages?
Are these in conflict with those of communities?

5. Fishman speaks of the need for “establishing ideological clarity” before
any revitalisation project can begin. How is this best achieved?

Case studies will presented on the role of beliefs and ideology in
endangered languages research, especially in the context of revitalisation
and language support.

Workshop Programme

The first day of the workshop will consist of four plenary talks followed by
discussion, and the second day will be devoted to case studies of particular
situations where ideological issues have surfaced in endangered languages
research.

Keynote speakers:

Bernard Spolsky, Bar-Ilan University: “Language beliefs and the management
of endangered languages”
Lenore Grenoble, University of Chicago: “Conflicting ideologies and beliefs
in the field”
Jane Freeland, University of Southampton: “Considering popular language
ideology in revitalizing the language of the Mayangna of Nicaragua's
Caribbean Coast”
Tadhg Ó hIfearnáin, University of Limerick: “Shared language management
goals, differing beliefs and unexpected outcomes”


Call for papers

Proposals are invited for papers for the second day of the workshop,
presenting cutting-edge research on the themes and topics outlined above.
Each speaker will have 20 minutes plus 10 minutes for discussion, followed
by a round table discussion at the end. 

Abstracts should be a maximum of 300 words long (not including any
references) and should be sent to: elap at soas.ac.uk.

Deadline: Friday 14th January 2009. 
Notification of acceptance will be sent on 28th January.

It is planned to make the proceedings of the workshop available to the
academic community and interested members of the public through a British
Academy Occasional Paper and/or through the Endangered Languages Project’s
journal Language Documentation and Description (see
www.hrelp.org/publications/papers/).
 
Booking information

Registration

To attend the workshop, you need to submit a booking form by Monday 16
February 2009. The form can be downloaded from
http://www.hrelp.org/events/workshops/ 

    
Full
Early bird (by 6 February)£12.50
After 6 February £17.50

Student/unwaged
Early bird (by 6 February)£7.50
After 6 February £12.50

Registration will include a reading pack, and tea and coffee on both days.