Multilingualism in new york - Essay Example

Multilingualism in New York New York is considered the most linguistically sundry in the whole world sinceit accommodates over ten thousand people. The big population in New York has over 179,000 speakers of the endangered languages (Welcher). The endangered languages also known as ‘other languages’ are those languages that are most likely to be wiped out in the near future. Davis (65) asserts that scores of language are no longer in use; thus, are being replaced by those commonly used in the nation or the region.

For instance, Spanish dominates Mexico, while English dominates the United States of America. If these current trends are not reversed, then the endangered languages are soon going to be extinct within the next century (Welcher).Attempts to prevent the extinction of endangered language have resulted to the formation of the Endangered Language Alliance. Therefore, a student at The City University of New York with basic linguistic fieldwork who wills to take part in documenting the endangered language should join the group and together with the members.

The student should also develop an interest in learning those languages that are almost facing extinction. Grenoble & Lindsay (85) asserts that vast knowledge of the endangered language will act as a security incase the language becomes extinct. This will ensure that all facts regarding the language do not disappear all at once.Secondly, the student may visit the speakers of the endangered languages and conduct interviews. While conducting the interviews, the student is expected to make audio tapes and videotapes, as well as make written records of the endangered languages used in informal and informal settings (Davis 76).

The translations of the endangered language are also included in the recordings so as to preserve the data in the best appropriate manner to avoid confusion in the future. Analysis of the vocabulary and rules of the endangered language is an initiative that helps significantly preserve the endangered languages. In addition to that, the student should write grammars and dictionaries of these languages that they wish to preserve (Grenoble & Lindsay 45). Working hand in hand with other linguists’, the student should visit neighboring communities within the city of New York to meet speakers who are willing to preserve their language.

While visiting the endangered language speakers, the student should offer practical and technical help with language maintenance, teaching and revival. The assistance comes about while working on the grammars and dictionaries being written. The CUNY student should seek linguists’ assistance as they study and teach the broad variety of languages. Davis (77) adds that the experienced linguists may employ whatever they have learnt about other endangered languages to assist the present community conserve its own language.

In addition to that, they may cease the opportunity and use the latest technology to record and study language.In pursuit to conserve the endangered languages, the CUNY student should also strive to connect the speakers of rare tongues and classify them according to their genres. In this case, languages which tend to have some similarity are classified together to make their study easier, while language that are dissimilar are not grouped together (Welcher). By comprehensively classifying the endangered languages in their respective genres, the student is able to understand the language better; thus, making documenting and advocating the endangered language fascinating and successful.

In conclusion, the endangered languages form a massive percentage of the speakers in New York. Therefore, efforts should be made to ensure that linguists work hand in hand with willing students to ensure that these languages are preserved from being extinct. Work CitedDavis, W."Vanishing Cultures". National Geographic. 96.2 (1999): 62-89. PrintGrenoble, L. & Lindsay, W. (eds). Endangered Languages: Language Loss and Community Response. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1998. PrintWelcher, L.

“Diaspora Sourcing: the Documentation of Endangered Languages. The Rosetta Blog, 29 April 2010. Web 19 April 2012 from http://rosettaproject.org/blog/02010/apr/29/diaspora-sourcing-endangered-languag/