Endangered Languages in Museum

Sun Sep 1 19:39:24 UTC 2013

Considering that so many people are upset by the negativity of coffin
images and death metaphors, this is a very negative discussion. I'm not
surprised, but I am disappointed. We are arguing about how outsider
"experts" should represent a massive human tragedy. Let's not forget that.
And let's also not forget that there are plenty of insider community
members, not just "purists", who feel strongly that the death metaphor is
the correct one. Or that, for certain tragedies, the purpose of an exhibit
is not to be aesthetically pleasing or comforting.

I prefer negative metaphors in the case of language
erosion/endangerment/shift/whatever you want to call it. I have seen
linguistic anthropology "shift" towards positive messaging recently, and I
think it does an injustice to the nature of the phenomenon we are
describing and its human toll. I have heard some interesting argument in
favour of a "theft" metaphor, which focusses our attention on the fact that
it's not the change or decay of knowledge systems and texts that is the
primary problem, but the fact that it is happening against the community's
will and best interests. I have also recently been looking into the use of
the medical/psychological "trauma" metaphor, which recognises the massive
negativity of the phenomenon, but also orients itself towards intervention
and recovery, and can be used to describe/explain why communities who don't
want to lose their languages still engage in behaviours that trend towards
language loss.

I have nothing further and nothing definitive to say about the appropriate
metaphor for the public eye, any more than I have to say about whether the
people I work with are "American Indian" or "Native American". It's not my
decision, and there are problems (and strengths) with all the options. I
agree with Heiko that what is missing is support and encouragement for
those of us who are working to raise awareness in the public eye. Lena's
message is flawed. So what? So is mine. So is yours. Let's engage in a
conversation about how to better our messages and metaphors without shaming
each other. And let's not insinuate that negativity per se is a problem
when the phenomenon is negative.

Bryan James Gordon

2013/8/31 Brookes, Tim <brookes at champlain.edu>

> Dear Colleagues,
> This is a very interesting discussion. To see a slightly different
> approach to creating a visual embodiment of language erosion, you may want
> to check out my work at http://www.endangeredalphabets.com. I'm always
> open to comments and suggestions.
> Thanks!
> Tim Brookes
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 8/31/13 5:18 AM, "Anne Dykstra" <dykstraanne at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> >Hi there,
> >
> >There is a monument to dead languages at Vilnius University. Maybe you
> >could use that for your museum?
> >
> >http://www.flickr.com/photos/wingedthing/6124678274/
> >
> >Best,
> >Anne
> >
> >Verstuurd vanaf mijn iPad
> >
> >Op 31 aug. 2013 om 10:36 heeft "King, Dr Alexander D."
> ><a.king at ABDN.AC.UK> het volgende geschreven:
> >
> >> I find the coffin metaphor repulsive and offensive. I know that many of
> >>my Koryak friends share that opinion because I have been talking to them
> >>a lot about "language death" metaphors  versus shift and other terms. I
> >>know other Koryaks, though, would agree that the language is "dying",
> >>but those people tend to be purists, whose attitude does nothing to help
> >>revitalization efforts.
> >>
> >> Now is the time for those people in control of the terms of discourse,
> >>such as this exhibition curator, to work harder to come up with more
> >>imaginative metaphors to create a wider and more sophisticated public
> >>discussion about language shift, revitalization and indigenous peoples.
> >>
> >> Just getting the word out to ignorant elites in western Europe is not
> >>food enough. It is bad politics.
> >>
> >> Sincerely,
> >> Alex King
> >> (just back from Kamchatka, Russia)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Sent from my iPhone
> >>
> >> On Aug 30, 2013, at 18:17, "Margaret Ann Noodin" <noodin at UWM.EDU>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Ah!  What a relief to hear others find the coffin scary.  I can see
> >>>the power of the metaphor but if this display is for children at your
> >>>museum I hope coffins are not familiar to them (as they might be for
> >>>some children in the world right now).
> >>>
> >>> Have you considered the metaphor of the children themselves?  Or of
> >>>something comforting?  Maybe a rocking chair with words painted all
> >>>over it?  Or a swing with words entwined in the ropes that hold it up?
> >>>Or a rocket ship to the stars built of panels with different phrases
> >>>from earth?
> >>>
> >>> For any of those I would be happy to contribute something in
> >>>Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe).
> >>>
> >>> Here is a poem of mine which is also a song. Feel free to use words,
> >>>lines or the entire poem. Let me know if you would like an MP3 of the
> >>>audio.
> >>>
> >>> No matter what you do - keep us posted and thanks for sharing a
> >>>concern for languages with the public!
> >>>
> >>> Waawaatese by Margaret Noodin
> >>>
> >>> Aanii ezhi pagozi dibikgiizis? / How does moonlight taste?
> >>>
> >>> Aanii ezhi noodin pagwad / How much does the wind weigh?
> >>>
> >>> Aanii ezhi ezhichigeyaamba / What do I need to do
> >>>
> >>> Ji-nsostaawaag waawaateseg / to understand the fireflies?
> >>>
> >>> Jiimaanan ina n'ga pagadanan giizhigong / Throw kisses or canoes to
> >>>heaven?
> >>>
> >>> Maage mikzhaweyaanh gdo'wiikweodenong / Or row to a heart's shore?
> >>>
> >>> N'wii bodewaadiz gonemaa / Perhaps I will set myself alight
> >>>
> >>> Miidash tonaanan shkodensan shpemsigong / then place the flames in the
> >>>sky
> >>>
> >>> Anongziibike minajiwong dibikong / making a river flowing through night
> >>>
> >>> Miidash wii baashkaazoying dibishko / where explosions echo
> >>>
> >>> Zaagigaabaag ziigwaning. / the bursting leaves of Spring.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>> From: "Peter Austin" <pa2 at SOAS.AC.UK>
> >>> To: ENDANGERED-LANGUAGES-L at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG
> >>> Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2013 11:56:21 PM
> >>> Subject: Re: Endangered Languages in Museum
> >>>
> >>> Will there be a day when this death and dying metaphor can be put to
> >>>rest? A coffin? My goodness, can't we be a little bit more creative?
> >>>And a little bit more sensitive?
> >>>
> >>> How about sharing some lessons from communities working to revitalise
> >>>their languages? There are lots of games, apps and other fun
> >>>interactive things for kids to do that are freely available on the
> >>>internet now. Put a nice package of them together and sensitise the
> >>>kids to how languages are threatened but communities are responding to
> >>>strengthen their languages. You could start by looking at
> >>>www.firstvoices.com and moving on from there.
> >>>
> >>> That's my 2p worth.
> >>>
> >>> Peter Austin
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Friday, 30 August 2013, Lena Terhart < lena.terhart at gmx.de > wrote:
> >>>> Dear Colleagues,
> >>>>
> >>>> the UNIKATUM children's museum in Leipzig, Germany, is preparing an
> >>>>exhibition on language (
> >>>>http://www.kindermuseum-unikatum.de/papperlapapp.html in German). I
> >>>>thought it would be nice to present language endangerment as part of
> >>>>the exhibition and together with the responsible people of the museum,
> >>>>we are now thinking about one exhibit, probably a coffin that shall be
> >>>>filled with words that may die out.
> >>>>
> >>>> In order to present a big variety of endangered languages, I would
> >>>>like to ask you to contribute with
> >>>> - a list of max. 5 words in the endangered language (basic
> >>>>vocabulary, something that may be interesting for children, e.g.
> >>>>animals, plants, natural phenomena, or maybe also simple verbs)
> >>>> - in the orthographic convention you use
> >>>> - together with a translation
> >>>> - and some basic info about the geographic location and number and
> >>>>age of speakers or alternatively a link to your website where I can
> >>>>find the information
> >>>>
> >>>> Additionally, photographs of the speakers and/or environment could be
> >>>>very nice, and ideally also recordings of the words (MP3), but that is
> >>>>not a requisite - I know that the search for individual words and
> >>>>cutting process may be too time-consuming.
> >>>>
> >>>> The mounting of the exhibition will start on the 16th of september
> >>>>already so that I need the word lists until the 13th latest.
> >>>>
> >>>> Thanks!
> >>>> Lena
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Prof Peter K. Austin
> >>> Marit Rausing Chair in Field Linguistics
> >>> Director, Endangered Languages Academic Programme
> >>> Research Tutor and PhD Convenor
> >>> Department of Linguistics, SOAS
> >>> Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square
> >>> London WC1H 0XG
> >>> United Kingdom
> >>>
> >>> web: http://www.hrelp.org/aboutus/staff/index.php?cd=pa
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No
> >>SC013683.
>

-- 
***********************************************************
Bryan James Gordon, MA
Joint PhD Program in Linguistics and Anthropology
University of Arizona
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