Moção de apoio à correspondência de Hein van der Voort à SSILA

[Nilson Gabas Junior]

Prezados,

Gostaria de expressar minha gratidão a todos os que participaram 
ativamente na discussão sobre a moção a ser enviada à Abralin, sobre 
a questão da utilização dos códigos do Ethnologue para o ISO 639-3, 
debate esse iniciado com uma correspondência do Dr. Hein van der 
Voort ao Boletim Eletrônico da SSILA.
Foram diversos os emails enviados por pessoas não participantes da 
lista, e gostaria de deixar registrado esse apoio também recebido.

Ao que tudo indica, já está havendo uma 'corrente' de manifestação 
de repúdio à adoção dos códigos do Ethnologue, com colegas se 
organizando nos Estados Unidos (Texas) e na Europa (França).

Esperamos, assim, poder ser ouvidos através de diversas frentes de 
trabalho e por diversas correntes -
linguistas 'formais', 'funcionais', linguistas que trabalham com 
línguas indígenas, com indo-europeu, etc. - e obter, assim, o 
esperado: uma revisão sobre quem estabelece os códigos.

Abaixo, apresento o texto final da moção (texto original de 
Sebastian Drude, com apreciação/revisão de Spike Gildea), enviado à 
Profa. Thais Cristófaro, presidente da Associação Brasileira de 
Linguística (ABRALIN), com indicação para envio também à Associação 
Brasileira de Antropologia (ABA).

Abraços a todos,
Nilson Gabas, Jr.


MOTION IN OPPOSITION TO ETHNOLOGUE'S LANGUAGE CODES FOR ISO 639-3

The Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, a research institution of the 
Ministry of Science and Technology, joined by several linguists and 
leaders of Indian organizations of Brazil through the electronic 
discussion list "Etnolinguistica", want to express our concern 
regarding the points that were raised by Dr. Hein van der Voort in 
the SSILA-Bulletin number 242 of August 22 of 2006, and show our 
support for the general position taken by Dr. van der Voort (full 
text is given below). 
Basically, Dr. van der Voort describes the recent decision to adopt 
the Ethnologue's language codes as the reference standard for the 
languages of the world (also called ISO 639-3), and to place the 
SIL, the religious organization that sponsors the Ethnologue, in 
charge of  setting up and maintaining the standard.  This decision 
was not discussed with the world community of linguists. He 
questions the validity of this decision on ethical grounds (should a 
religious organization be in charge of such an effort?) and accuracy 
(while extensive, Ethnologue is also replete with errors).  He 
proposes that efforts like UNESCO's Redbook of the Endangered 
Languages of the World be considered as an alternative to the SIL's 
Ethnologue.
Under the current arrangement, the only way scholars can contribute 
to improvements in the ISO 639-3 is by providing information to the 
SIL.  This raises a central question for Dr. van der Voort: "Should 
we as scientists collaborate so directly with a proselytizing 
organization, lending it legitimacy and potentially contributing to 
its ultimate goal -- that of replacing indigenous cultures with a 
specific Western one?"  As an ethical matter, we feel strongly that 
we should not.  It seems important for us that the ISO 639-3 
standard and a possible permanent ISO 639-3 commission be clearly 
separated from the Ethnologue and the SIL in general, making it 
possible for any linguist to contribute to the ISO standard without 
contributing, directly or indirectly, to the religious goals of the 
SIL. 
Therefore, we request that the current state of affairs with respect 
to the ISO 639-3 be reviewed, and that another, purely academic 
institution (possibly a committee or commission to be created) be 
responsible for maintaining and revising the ISO list of languages 
and their codes. The academic commission of the SSILA assigned to 
evaluate proposals for changes to the survey of South America may 
serve as an example for other regions, and some coordination of 
regional commissions could be established in order to assure similar 
criteria and standards.  Such a structure would allow all scientists 
to participate freely, and while it would certainly be a time-
consuming project, the final product will be also a more reliable 
and sensible one.
With this motion, it is our intention to invite linguists who share 
our view to make this position clear in their local academic 
associations and to start a worldwide discussion about a possible 
different solution for the ISO 639-3.
Sincerely yours,
 
Dr. Nilson Gabas, Jr.
Research and Graduate Coordinator
MCT-Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi










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