Australia: Quick hit: Aboriginal languages are like Deafness, and condoning ei ther is “criminally insane”

[Harold Schiffman]

  Quick hit: Aboriginal languages are like Deafness, and condoning either is
"criminally insane"

by Lauredhel <http://viv.id.au/blog/?author=3> on November 22, 2008

Eric Brodrick from Alice Springs has a piece in Crikey this week titled "What's
the Pitjantjatjara word for
computer?<http://www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20081121-Gaining-English-language-skills-and-retaining-Aboriginality.html>"


His argument boils down to this paragraph:

Not being able to speak the major language of a country is a disability
equivalent to being profoundly deaf. Limiting a person's access to and
knowledge of, the major language of a country in the name of "cultural
purity" borders on the criminally insane. How can a person learn and grow if
the only language(s) they can speak is as relevant to the modern world as
ancient Babylonian?

Hoo boy.

I wonder if he's the same bloke who wrote this rant about "Professional
Aboriginals <http://www2b.abc.net.au/4corners/20020826/posts/post95.shtm>"
sticking their noses in the government trough?

~~~

More on the background:

The Age: "Calma backs bilingual education in
NT<http://news.theage.com.au/national/calma-backs-bilingual-education-in-nt-20081117-6990.html>
"

Wamut at That Munanga Linguist: "Bad and ridiculous news from the NT
Minister for Education<http://munanga.blogspot.com/2008/10/bad-and-ridiculous-news-from-nt.html>
"

Transient Languages and Cultures: "TESOL association against scrapping
bilingual education<http://blogs.usyd.edu.au/elac/2008/11/tesol_association_against_scra_1.html>
"

Anggarrgoon: "Australian folk language policy (1): the failure of
monolingualism<http://anggarrgoon.wordpress.com/2008/11/18/australian-folk-language-policy-1-the-failure-of-monolingualism/>"
and "Australian folk language policy
(2):<http://anggarrgoon.wordpress.com/2008/11/19/australian-folk-language-policy-2/>
"
Similar Posts:

   - Australian linguistocide, and antipodeal approaches to aboriginal
   education <http://viv.id.au/blog/?p=601> by Lauredhel
   - This is what we're up against: "Ironbar"
Tuckey<http://viv.id.au/blog/?p=1442>by Lauredhel
   - What do disabled people, fat people, and indigenous languages have in
   common? They're not disposable. <http://viv.id.au/blog/?p=742> by
   Lauredhel
   - How's your Language Footprint? <http://viv.id.au/blog/?p=1714> by
   Lauredhel
   - Indigenous voices on Aurukun; and the Law Society tells the public to
   butt out <http://viv.id.au/blog/?p=1232> by Lauredhel

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