Cherokee class preserves native NC language (fwd link)

[Dr. MJ Hardman]

This is good news.  If it counts as a Œforeign language¹ then it has full
academic status and students from any discipline can take the course.
Misnomer, yes, but where English is considered Œnative¹ the place is loaded
with misnomers.  We were the first ‹ back in 1969 ‹ to offer an indigenous
language of the Americas (Aymara) as a regular academic course, equal to all
of the other Œforeign¹ language courses.  We offered it for 21 years and now
I am enormously pleased to see so many languages offered in so many places.
Many things can come out of the course ‹ all the things mentioned in the
article and as well, some of the students might be inspired to study the
language as linguists or from theperspective of other disciplines.  Very
good news.  May the walk be smooth for all those involved. MJ

On 8/30/13 5:37 PM, "Phil Cash Cash" <weyiiletpu at gmail.com> wrote:

> Cherokee class preserves native NC language
> By Andy Willard <http://www.dailytarheel.com/staff/andy-willard>  | The Daily
> Tar Heel
> Updated: 08/29/13 1:06am
> UNC¹s foreign language requirement is a misnomer for students taking Cherokee
> classes ‹ they are studying the only language offered by the University that
> is native to North America.
> Tom Belt, a visiting instructor of Cherokee at Western Carolina University,
> said the classes were first offered at UNC in the fall of 2009 in an effort to
> revitalize the language because it is close to dying out ‹ there are only a
> few hundred speakers in North Carolina.
> ³We would be here, still be Cherokees, but the central core of our culture
> would be gone,² he said.
> Access full article below: 
> 
> http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2013/08/cherokee-0829
> 
> 

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

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