Compensation for lost languages (fwd link)

[Phillip E Cash Cash]

Compensation for lost languages

Verity Edwards From: The Australian June 27, 2011 6:19PM
AUS

Israeli-born Ghil'ad Zuckermann, a professor of linguistics and
endangered languages at Adelaide University, said of the 250 known
Aboriginal languages, only 15 were widely spoken or used by all age
groups within a community.

``Nearly 95 per cent of Aboriginal languages are either dead or about
to die,'' Professor Zuckermann said. ``These languages were killed by
colonisation. There were many cases where the languages weren't
allowed to be spoken or children were taken away, and other reasons.''

Professor Zuckermann, an Australian Research Council Discovery Fellow,
said a person's cultural connection to their language was more
significant than their connection to the land and compensation for
lost languages should take precedence over native title payments.

Access full article below:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/compensation-for-lost-languages/story-e6frgcjx-1226082975633