Lost languages a loss for world (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Lost languages a loss for world
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20040416wo61.htm

Cristoph Mark Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer

For good or bad, our world is becoming ever more globalized,
industrialized and homogenized, and most people are aware of the
effects on the world's ecology. We regularly find species disappearing
from the face of the planet, never to be seen again.

But unlike the plight of the panda or the Japanese ibis, said Tasaku
Tsunoda, the extinction of languages is something of which most people
remain unaware.

Tsunoda, a professor of linguistics at Tokyo University and leading
expert in Aboriginal Australian languages, will be a keynote speaker at
Linguapax Asia 2004, to be held Saturday at United Nations University
in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.

Languages disappear for many reasons. In some cases, the language
becomes obsolete and is replaced by a dominant language, with the few
remaining speakers growing old and dying without passing on their
knowledge and heritage.

With many other languages, the younger generation loses its mother
tongue in favor of an adopted tongue, as is the case with many Koreans
born and raised in Japan.

"There are a number of researchers who work on the Korean language as
spoken in Japan, and they say that the Korean language is now
disappearing among the younger generation," Tsunoda pointed out.

In fact, like many countries, Japan is not as linguistically homogenous
as many people might think.

Perhaps the most well-known minority language in Japan is Ainu, the
language of the indigenous peoples of Hokkaido, which there is a strong
movement to protect.

But there are other languages in Japan that are not so well known.

A language known as Nivkh, which was native to the islands north of
Hokkaido, became effectively extinct after its last speakers were moved
to Hokkaido, according to Tsunoda.

Chinese is quickly disappearing in Yokohama's famous Chinatown, the
professor added. The younger generations are using more and more
Japanese, forgetting their mother tongue.

Similar things are happening with the language of Japanese-Brazilians.

"In Hadano (Kanagawa Prefecture), there's a huge Brazilian and Peruvian
community, and the kids are not speaking Spanish or Portuguese
anymore," Frances Fister-Stoga, English professor and organizer of the
conference, pointed out.

Tsunoda began studying Warrango, a dying Aboriginal language, while a
student in Queensland, Australia. During his time there, he recorded
more than 50 hours of the language and folk stories.

The language was on the verge of extinction before Tsunoda returned to
Australia 26 years later and began teaching Warrango to descendants of
the language's speakers. He has since been asked to help revive other
Aboriginal languages.

Tsunoda is actively trying to get Queensland's Monash University, his
alma mater and the university where he teaches private Warrango
classes, to offer the language as part of its curriculum, thereby
creating interest in, and prestige for, the language. But, as potential
enrollment appears low, it remains an uphill battle.

Together with top linguists from around the world, Tsunoda will present
a paper titled Language Loss and Language Revitalization in Australia
at the inaugural Linguapax Asia conference.

Linguapax Asia is a spin-off group of the UNESCO-backed Linguapax
Institute, which focuses on language issues, such as rights, ecology,
preservation and so on.

Although the Barcelona-based institute holds conferences worldwide, this
will be the first time one has been held in an Asian country.

Felix Marti, founder of the organization, was the recipient of the
UNESCO human rights award and has been recognized by the Vatican for
his work in language and peace, concepts from which the "Linguapax"
name is derived.

Although actively promoting language rights and preservation, the
institute is not in a position to implement any programs, Fister-Stoga
said.

"(Linguapax) is a more informative type of thing, and solutions could be
recommended, but it's not political," she stressed.

The conference, co-organized by the United Nations University, will
feature speakers from around the world, all specialists in their
fields, and will also feature talks on subjects as diverse as national
languages, bilingual education and a trilingual village in Thailand.

Linguapax Asia 2004 will be held at the university on Saturday from 9
a.m. to 6 p.m. Presentations not given in English will be accompanied
by English information and materials.

For further information on the Linguapax Institute and its activities,
please visit its Web site at www.linguapax.org.

Copyright 2004 The Yomiuri Shimbun