Learning to speak Tlingit

[rrlapier at AOL.COM]

I am hoping that some languages are in a dormant phase. 

I absolutely agree with the observations that you address in your commentary. For some, language has become ornamental, like heritage clothing or jewlery, you only hear it when the powwow princess introduces herself. 

But I am hoping that for those of us working in the field, all five of us (ha ha), that we can leave behind some documentation (with our research) and a few second language speakers (through our school), that can serve as resources for the future generation that may become interested. Because, let's face it, most of the current generation are not interested. But again, I have hope for the future, that if we work to provide resources for them, they will not have to work as hard.

So, I agree to keep the language alive you need everyday speakers of the language. But to pass through the dormant phase we need documentation, very good documentation, for those who will come after us. 

Rosalyn LaPier
Piegan Institute




-----Original Message-----
From: James Crippen <jcrippen at GMAIL.COM>
To: ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
Sent: Tue, 6 May 2008 11:43 pm
Subject: Re: [ILAT] Learning to speak Tlingit



2008/5/5 Jordan Lachler <jordanlachler at gmail.com>:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1nPCGpQ86w
Goosú wé Lingít yóo xh'atángi, wéi video tóox'? Ch'u tleix' "Lingít"
h'axhwa.axhch khu.aa. The video is a disappointment in the end
ecause other than using the word "Lingít" to index "Tlingitness",
here's no Tlingit language spoken. None at all. Not even "Yéi áyá haa
óo xh'atángi" or something like it as an introduction.
The video does make a great point, however, one that bothers me a lot.
n my personal experience talking to the various people working in
lingit revitalization, there's lots of effort put into learning words
or *things*, but not learning how to actually express meaning. This
s partly because of the complexity of the language (it's really hard
o learn!), partly because its grammar is still not well described
I'm working as hard as I can!), and partly because of the existing
ocus on teaching words and phrases rather than communicative ability
TPR is not the solution!).
But I fear that this issue will fly over the heads of the people who
t's for, in that they *won't* start to think about how they're
earning to talk. Instead, they'll see this video as reinforcing that
he words and set phrases they've learned is really a sign that
hey're using the language.
"I can say the names of all the berries in Tlingit." "I can say 'we
re cutting fish' in Tlingit." But can you say "I don't want to go and
ick berries right now. Instead I want to stay home and watch TV
ecause my feet hurt" in Tlingit? [1] Why not? What matters more to
ou?
People gain lots of pride and empowerment from learning a language,
ut then go on to use it only as an occasional token of identity.
eople speak the language, but they don't try to speak *in* the
anguage. They learn lots of words and phrases and such, but don't
ver learn how to even have a basic conversation about something as
ull as what they did last week. The language becomes a mere tool,
othing any more ornamental than a button blanket. It doesn't get used
ut in a boat to ward off the cold, it doesn't get used to pad a rock
or sitting on, it doesn't get used to wipe the steam off of a window.
nstead it only gets taken out for ceremonial occasions, treated
ently and with great respect. It only gets used to say "look here I'm
lingit" when the people with money and power are looking, and is
therwise shoved back in a box for the next time someone needs to show
t off.
The language isn't just some dead at.óowu passed on from elders to be
herished as a valuable artifact. It's the very life of being, it's
he xh'aséikw of the people. Who cares if it gets used for
ntroductions in a political speech? Who cares if it gets used at an
mmersion camp that cost tens of thousands of dollars to arrange and
nly brought twenty people? What really matters is if it gets used in
he kitchen while making dinner, or at the store while buying
otatoes, or in the car while driving to work. It needs to live, not
e some dusty old mask in a box that people only take out to prove
heir lineage and status.
My point is that an endangered language like Tlingit isn't just a sign
o index political and social alignment, it's a living thing that
eserves to be used, deserves to have our breath pass through it. If
e're supposed to be revitalizing a language, that means really saying
hings with it rather than saying things *about* it. And if people are
oing to say things with it, then they need to really learn how to
peak and not just how to read phrases from a book.
I hear the same refrain over and over from people that revitalization
osts too much, that there's just not enough support for it, or that
t takes too much time to really learn to talk. Too often people focus
n how to get money for a project, where the money should come from,
ho should control the money, who should control the people who
ontrol the money, ad nauseam. But revitalization shouldn't cost
nything at all. If the language is important enough to save then
eople ought to be willing to put their own free time into keeping it
live, and not worrying about who's going to get the government
heese. It's not about how to look good, or to gain prestige or power
r money. Revitalization is really about learning to speak the
anguage because you care about it, because you love it and you love
he people who speak it, and you want to keep that alive. There's no
ther reason necessary. Politics, identity, postcolonialism,
ducation, government, autonomy, history, none of that other crap
atters except for how to get around it so you can get on with keeping
he language spoken.
Yéi áyá axh toowú.
éiwsh
[1]: To be fair, here's my attempt: Axh xh'ús' yanéekw yáa yakyee. Ách
wé, tléil axh toowáa sigóo khukkhwak'eet'. Néilx' yéi xhat natee, TV
khwalateen.

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