Isan language Maintenance project

[Yuphaphann Hoonchamlong]

The following is a forwarded message from John  Draper
<wacks at rocketmail.com>, the project director.
Please contact him directly if you are interested in the project.

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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Khon Kaen University
Khon Kaen, Thailand
2nd March 2004
Ref: ILMRP / 02
Dear Sir or Madam,

		       I am writing as the head of the Isan Language
Maintenance and Revitalization Project, which is currently in the
literature review and design stage, to request help. Isan is a Tai
language that is undergoing significant language shift, and as a
written language, language death is
occurring. In addition, there are significant gaps in the codification
of Isan as a language. Currently, however, the linguistic focus of the
Project is "Lao Isan". The enclosure details areas in which help is
sought.

The long-term objectives of the Isan Language Maintenance and
Revitalization Project are to:

?	empower Isan people to the extent where they are able to make
an informed decision about whether or not to preserve their own
language and culture, and if a positive attitude exists, introduce an
Isan orthography in a bilingual language planning approach in order to
preserve culture, enrich
educational achievement, and improve economic prosperity in Isan and
the surrounding countries.

The short-term objectives of the Pilot Study are to:

Stage 1
?	generate a knowledge base of linguistic and sociolinguistic
issues pertaining to Isan within Khon Kaen University's Faculty of
Humanities and Social Sciences, including a linguistic description of
Isan and an analysis of former Isan orthographies

Stage 2
?	create and test a living Isan orthography
?	obtain data about Isan people's attitude to the reintroduction
of an Isan orthography
?	depending on the results of the Pilot Study, develop the long-
term theoretical framework for the Project.

Stage 1 of the project is hosted by the Faculty of Humanities and
Social Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, and is currently
receiving funding from the Center for Research on Plurality in the
Mekong Region (CRPM).

The approximately 11 million native speakers of Lao Isan stand at a
crossroads. Whether they choose to embrace language death or language
revitalization, their language deserves in-depth study.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. If it is not relevant
to you or your department, I would be grateful if you could pass this
request to any that may be interested.


Yours sincerely,
John Draper
Project Head, Isan Language Maintenance and Revitalization Project
(wacks at rocketmail.com)


Enclosure:

Areas where help is required by the Isan Language Maintenance and
Revitalization Project

Area Details

Dialectology
I am aware of the Brown (1965, 1985) and Li (1977) works, as well as
Gedney and some MA theses by Chulalongkorn and Mahidol University
students, and work by the Mahidol Institute of Language and Culture for
Rural Development. Any knowledge of recent studies in tonemes or word
lists in the Isan ethnographic context would be appreciated, as would
state-
of-the-art research in dialectology for any Tai language as best
practice
examples.

Lexicography
The state-of-the-art appears to be the Phinthong (1989) dictionary,
funded
by the Toyota Foundation. While we are trying to obtain the database
for
this work, contemporary lexicographic data for Isan appears to be
lacking,
beyond some Mahidol / Chulalongkorn MA studies examining various
language shift and language mix areas. Work by Mollerup (2001) using
Lao-Thai-Isan-English and MP3 files is interesting. Variation and
dialects
appear to be problems, as is accounting for intergenerational shift.
Work on
contemporary Lao in this area would also be of interest. Any guidance
would be valuable.

Grammatication
While syntactic descriptions of various aspects of Central Thai and of
Tai
languages (e.g., So) do exist, I have not found a comprehensive or
systematic description using e.g., Tagmemics, for Isan, Tai, or Lao. I
would
greatly appreciate guidance in this area.

Sociolinguistics
Isan contains over a dozen dialects of Lao and has not had an official
written language since it was effectively abolished by the Central Thai
government during the 1940s and in subsequent years. Spoken to one
extent
or another by nearly twenty million people, it exists solely as an oral
language, yet receives quasi-official approval; a Thai princess attends
celebrations of Isan songforms and it can be heard on local radio and
television. I am interested in any case studies where a defunct written
language has been revitalized, or a written language introduced, in
similar
circumstances, and in the associated methodology and field research.

Attitude
Of particular interest is the large-scale usage of attitude surveys in
the
sociolinguistic circumstances outlined above. Methodology and
questionnaire design issues appear to be paramount, and problematic.
For
example, Isan people are not aware of the complex academic arguments
for
or against vernacular language education. Do they need to be, and how
could that be done without biasing the sample and obtaining false
results?
Would both sides of the argument have to be provided in some kind of
preamble to a questionnaire? How should mass media be used to stimulate
debate, and at what stage? Experience and guidance is sought in this
area.

Academic / research help
Funded students wishing to undertake fieldwork in any of the areas
mentioned are more than welcome at Khon Kaen University.
Accommodation and support services may be available. In addition,
academics visiting Thailand who may be able to offer advice in any of
the
areas outlined are welcome to visit Khon Kaen University. A Project
workshop will be organized for later this year (2004), probably in
November. Expenses are likely available for a return flight from
Bangkok.