First Nations working to keep indigenous languages alive among youth (fwd link)

[Dr. MJ Hardman]

Indeed.  Thus it is almost everywhere.  The authority on Jaqaru is now 94,
still active and writing and working on the dictionary, trying so hard to
leave the fullness of his heritage, but that is never sufficient by it¹s
very nature.  Language is interactive.  And for the children ‹ it is rapidly
becoming a Œheritage language¹, not a native tongue.  Yes, scary.  MJ

On 11/7/12 11:00 AM, "Tammy DeCoteau" <tdc.aaia at VERIZON.NET> wrote:

> Great analogy Richard.  What you say is exactly true.  At my tribe, we have
> close to 100 speakers which is both a blessing and a terrible situation.
> Because we do have speakers, it is hard for us to help our members to
> understand what a critical situation it is.  Most of our sister tribes who
> speak our language have only a handful of speakers and understand the
> situation.
> 
> Our average age of first language speakers goes up of course, each year; and
> those speakers who it seems like only yesterday were a vital 65 year old are
> now a frail 75 year old.  We are also faced with the knowledge that the number
> of speakers who leave us will only increase exponentially each year as they
> age.  It is scary to me.
> 
> Tammy DeCoteau
> AAIA Native Language Program
> 
> 
> On Nov 7, 2012, Richard Zane Smith <rzs at WILDBLUE.NET> wrote:
> 
>> Languages dry up like rain puddles on black top under a hot sun.
>> Small puddles vanish first, the bigger ones shrinking fast.
>> The biggest puddles seem enduring - but only by comparison.
>> What worries me is that so many of our own indigenous speakers
>> just get busy with life without a care in the world
>> because back home grandma still speaks the language.
>> 
>> -Richard
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Tue, Nov 6, 2012 at 11:13 PM, Phillip E Cash Cash
>> <cashcash at email.arizona.edu <"http://mailto:cashcash@email.arizona.edu"> >
>> wrote:
>>> First Nations working to keep indigenous languages alive among youth
>>> 
>>> Created on Tuesday, 06 November 2012 14:43
>>> Amy MacKenzie
>>> 
>>> PICTOU LANDING ­ A recent report says that aboriginal languages are dying.
>>> But Sarah Francis, an elder in Pictou Landing First Nation, said the Mi¹kmaq
>>> language is prevalent there with the most of the seniors and middle-aged
>>> residents in the area speaking it fluently. She said for many, like herself,
>>> Mi¹kmaq is their first language.
>>> 
>>> But she added she worries that the younger generation isn¹t as familiar with
>>> the language.
>>> 
>>> ³It seems to be (dying) in the younger crowd,² she said. ³People middle aged
>>> and up are OK with it. It¹s still their first language.²
>>> 
>>> Access full article below:
>>> http://www.firstperspective.ca/news/2324-first-nations-working-to-keep-indig
>>> enous-languages-alive-among-youth
>> 
>> 

Dr. MJ Hardman
Professor Emeritus
Linguistics and Latin American Studies
Doctora Honoris Causa UNMSM, Lima, Perú
website:  http://clas.ufl.edu/users/hardman/ 

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