Important and Key Issues Associated with Documenting Indigenous Languages in the 21st Century - Coursework Example

ANTHROPOLOGY Important and Key issues Associated with documenting Indigenous languages in the 21st century Institution affiliated Student’s name Course Number Date INTRODUCTION People normally exist to a particular ethnic group or culture. They tend to speak a particular language that is considered to be their native language. The Indigenous people tend to speak an Indigenous language that is reduced to the status of a minority language. In most instance, the language originates from a linguistically distinct community that has been located in any given place for many generations1. The Indigenous language, however, should not be confused with the national languages, and the reverse should as well apply. Colonization has endangered Indigenous language in most locations. That has been feasible due to linguicide caused by colonization, and most cases are replacing the original language by that of the colonists2. For instance, the Australian Aboriginal Language comprises up to twenty-seven language families and isolates native speakers comprising of the Australian Aborigines of Australia and a few nearby islands. Conventionally, an exclusion exists in the language of Tasmania and the eastern Torres Strait Island language Meriam Mer. There does not exist a clear relationship among these particular languages though a substantial progress has been made in the recent decades. IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES A language is an important tool that helps in the identification of a certain culture. In some instances, it becomes endangered which possess threats to different cultures that rely on that particular language as a way of their lives. When a language dies, it impacts negatively on the knowledge of and ability to understand the culture. It puts many threats to the teachings, customs, oral traditions and other inherited knowledge that can no longer be transmitted by native speakers. In most cases, the death of such languages has a negative effect on other disciplines such science in linguistics, anthropology, prehistory and psychology that has a consequence in the diversity of data sources. Language has been considered to be a concept that gives voice to cultural identity3. People who speak the same language tend to feel more comfortable when together and most of the time they feel united by a sense of commonness. In considering their social interactions, such people tend to communicate and identify with each other more easily which facilitate and promotes social interactions. Lack of a common language may make people fell as different as two strangers since they do not originate from a common line of ancestry. Such people may fail to recognize their commonality that in most cases might promote isolation and segregation of communities. For instance, in Australia, the reasons for younger generations not being instructed in their Indigenous Language are many and varied. That least is the atrocities that exist due to the forcible removal of children from their families by various agencies, such as the Australian Federal and State government agency. That has been achieved by the acts of the respective parliaments that resulted in the Stolen Generations. Presently, such young generation of Indigenous Australians is not being instructed in the tongue of their forefathers which has led to the loss of cultural identity. The young generation has been lured by various opportunities such as education and employment that have made a shift in their Indigenous language. That has been noticed not only in Australia but also other migrant minority communities all over the world throughout history. Once that has occurred, most of the youth tend to lose a sense of personal history and to belong since language is an essential feature of culture and identity. That makes it nearly impossible for the elders of the community to teach the youth their people’s history and values. With that occurring, it is possible that there will exist a cultural gap for all future generation. As stated by DR. David Harrison in a clip: ‘Transmission of knowledge has been disrupted.” Apart from the cultural argument presented, some other reasons exist for the preservation of endangered languages. The scientific perspective provides that these languages may be useful in providing linguists with invaluable insight into the links that exist between these and other languages4. That makes it possible for learners to be equipped with much knowledge concerning a wide variety of historical facts of world human geography. Education has been continuous, and there is a need for relevant facts and ideas that could help on the same. Secondly, another reason is the availability of language data which is used to study human language faculty and linguistic variety. Through the Indigenous language, the ancient art including the songs, stories, idioms and sayings could be easily documented and retrieved. That has artistically remained as one of the important desire for the preservation of such languages. Politically, the preservation of language has been considered of much importance. The idea of attributing official status to languages assists in the prevention of language discrimination5. That is achieved by allowing speakers of certain languages to access information, mass media, government services and education in their native language. In doing so, their level of unity and political affiliation is most likely to improve with a greater margin. After doing such analysis concerning the importance of preserving such knowledge, the next important concern should be how such languages should be preserved. That has been clearly explained below. WAYS OF PRESERVING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE Various contributors such as Dr. David Harrison were seen gathering linguistic data from surviving speakers of an endangered language. However, it is imperative to consider the usefulness of such data in ensuring that such languages survive. 6Children developed an attitude of learning a given language according to what they want. Sadly, it is known that their want is often measured in terms of financial and practical use. First, to ensure that the endangered language is well preserved, the speakers of such languages should ensure that they manage to breathe new life into it by using it as a means of communication7. Making the language itself into use has emerged to be the first step in ensuring that it is well preserved. 8The doctors work will seize to substantial when the practicality component is not put to use. It will, in fact, be considered as just a mere way of ensuring that endangered languages are noted in his “Cyber Zoo of taking dictionaries.” Without that in place, it will fail to equate to, or even compare to the survival of the language. The difference can be as big as preserving the Roman Coliseum for historical purposes or a revival of its ancient uses. It emerges that the first way of preserving such languages is through putting them into use when communicating. Another way of preserving such Indigenous languages is by perceiving them to be of practical and economic value9. Pick for instance the level at which English is being learnt by the non-English nations, once some economic value has been attached to such languages, the rate of learning and mastering them is most likely to increase which will help in preserving them. For instance, the Australian Indigenous language can be highly preserved by creating job opportunities that relate to those particular languages10. Once that has been done, it would be noted that some people will manage to pay with the notion of learning such languages. That will surely provide a great forum for the acquisition and application of the Indigenous as a tool for communication and interaction. 11Still, the Indigenous people have put in place much effort that will help in preserving their language. For example, Binij Kunwok, which constitute the Australian language, have constantly encouraged their younger generation to speak the language as they grow up12. As they learn the language, they are encouraged that they will teach their children the language as well. The option has been considered nearly impossible, but with the use of the internet, it can be feasiblei. The internet has been used to create awareness concerning such issues of language extinction and preservation. 13The internet provides services such as translation, catalog, store and access to languages. With the use of new technologies such as the podcast, the spoken version of languages can be preserved. Again, written documents can preserve information about the native literature and linguistics of languages. On the contrary, documenting a language does not mean that it will survive. However, it is crucial to ensure that the language is recorded on audio or video tapes as it will promote a continuous use of the particular information. ISSUES THAT PREVENT THE PRESERVATION OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE GOVERNMENT POLICY During the time of colonization, the number of indigenous languages in Australia alone was recorded to be over 25014. That has drastically reduced to about 18 languages being spoken in all the languages15. Such a decrease are as a result of the government policies that have handled the decline of the Indigenous languages. To be precise, a committee heard evidence in Adelaine that government actively represses the use of Indigenous languages by Aboriginal people16. There have been laws enacted to forbidden the speaking of certain languages in the country. Dr. Alitya Rigney managed to testify that when she was ‘growing up on Point Pearce, it was forbidden to speak the language of the law.” To make the situation better, language and Indigenous experts have welcomed a government report that recommends school bilingual education for Indigenous communities17. When that is applied, it will benefit all Australians and help get some Indigenous languages off the endangered language list18. The role of the Indigenous languages will help in strengthening the Aboriginal identity and culture, as well as including the Indigenous languages in early education. PRACTICAL ISSUES Even though different attempts have been made concerning the preservation of the Indigenous languages, it has remained a crucial issue in their practical applications. The language has been considered forbidden by most agencies that make it had to be practiced and learned over time. As noted earlier, it becomes easier to preserve the language by encouraging the young generation to speak persistently it and teach it to their young ones19. With the restricting policies in place, it becomes for the learners to embrace the language. That has emerged to be a great barrier in the preservation of the language. SOCIAL ISSUES Communication and language issues have emerged to be one of the critical aspects that prevent the preservation of Indigenous language. Presently, there exist a diversification in ethnic groups fueled by the high level of social interactions. People do not have to remain in one particular location as they tend to move from one place to another20. As they locate to different places, they tend to learn new languages that will enable them to cope well with their new environment. Putting much emphasis on the social deficits faced by such people, they tend to change most of their cultural behaviors just to fit into their new environment. People from a given ethnic group are attributed to a given ascent. Some people do not embrace their language and tend to learn that of others just to fit in another different culture. The preservation of the Indigenous languages still has been prevented even at the social level. Even though the Indigenous communities are putting all possible attempts to try and preserve their languages, it is still prudent that they find the cause of most of their problems. CONCLUSION It has remained Imperative that the preservation of the Indigenous language has more benefits to the entire society. It, therefore, remains prudent that effective measures should be put in place that will ensure that such languages do not become extinct. BIBLIOGRAPHY Top of Form Bottom of Form Ammon, Ulrich, Gerold Ungeheuer, Hugo Steger, Herbert Ernst Wiegand, and Armin Burkhardt. Sociolinguistics: An International Handbook of the Science of Language and Society 3. 3. Berlin [u.a.]: Gruyter, 2006. Australia, and Social Change Media. Alive and Deadly: Reviving and Maintaining Australian Indigenous Languages. Canberra: Commonwealth Dept. of Employment, Education and Training, 1995. Australian Indigenous Languages Framework - in Practice. Wayville, SA: SSABSA, 1996. 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"A Response to Recent Proposals Concerning Australian Indigenous Languages: A Discussion Paper". NT Bilingual Education Newsletter - 1991; No. 91-1, P. 2-16. Leitner, Gerhard. The Habitat of Australia's Aboriginal Languages Past, Present and Future. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2007. Leung, Constant, and Brian V. Street. English a Changing Medium for Education. 2012. Liddicoat, Anthony. Language-in-Education Policies The Discursive Construction of Intercultural Relations. Bristol: Multilingual Matters, 2013. . McGregor, William. Encountering Aboriginal Languages: Studies in the History of Australian Linguistics. Canberra, A.C.T.: Pacific Linguistics Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, the Australian National University, 2008. Romaine, Suzanne. Language in Australia. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Trudgen, Richard Ian. Why Warriors Lie Down & Die: Towards an Understanding of Why the Aboriginal People of Arnhem Land Face the Greatest Crisis in Health and Education Since European Contact : Djambatj Mala. 2013. . Walsh, Michael. Language and Culture in Aboriginal Australia. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press, 1993. Wodak, Ruth, and David Corson. Encyclopedia of Language and Education Language Policy and Political Issues in Education. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 1997. . Dixon, Robert M. W. Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Read More