AUSTRALIA: An English only policy vs Aboriginal History (fwd link)

[Phillip E Cash Cash]

*AUSTRALIA: An English only policy vs Aboriginal History*

Posted on November 4, 2012 3

Languages fading before our Eyes
*Kanyilkura wangka jurnpurrpa.* We ought to keep language strong

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia have been
fighting a loosing battle to save the many Indigenous languages of the
country since European settlers first stepped foot in this country.

In the years since, more than 230 languages have died or fallen from use.
An estimated 20-25 languages survive and are spoken fluently as a first
language. Hundreds more dialects of those languages have been lost, the
vast majority never being recorded.

This sad state of affairs continues unabated with very little Federal or
state funds being put into language preservation. The Federal Government
provides less than $25 million per year for this critical language work.

The state I live in, Western Australia (WA), still does not have an
Aboriginal languages policy which means that the 60+ languages are not
recognized by the state in any way and not a single cent of state funds is
directed to their preservation and use. Nor any interpreting and
translating services provided for first language speakers. It’s incredible
that such an advanced and progressive country ignores the dying languages
in its own backyard!

Access full article below:
http://sacratomatovillepost.com/2012/11/04/australia-an-english-only-policy-vs-aboriginal-history/
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