Is Enough Being Done to Preserve Languages?
Kuzmenko Elena AE5 06.08.2012
Is enough being done to preserve languages?
Throughout history the world has consisted of many cultures and languages, some of them have been dominant, some of them have been minor. Until the 20th century global and minority languages have continued a peaceful coexistence that has provided cultural diversity for the Earth. In the present this balance has been broken and most of indigenous languages tend to disappear. Although worldwide scientists do not spare efforts to stop this extinction, there is a debate whether it is sufficient to do for saving extinct languages or not. Some experts suggest that some positive trends have emerged in linguistic field which can alleviate the grave situation such as master-apprentices program and large-scale documental projects. However, many scientists assert that the measures are not enough to protect languages from losing, since the rate of this process is extremely high and negative attitudes towards local languages are intensive. Therefore, this essay will contend efforts that have been made to preserve languages are inadequate because of considerable amount of adverse aspects.
There are some effective efforts have been made to save languages in the world. One of these efforts is master-apprentices program which has increased the survival of languages. In this program young people learn their own language by older generation who teach them traditional customs and craftsmanship. For example, in California Native Americans are trained basket weaving in their own native tongue, because of this method it is enough about 300 hours to begin to speak fluently (Knight, 2000). Similarly, another successful master-apprentices program has been developed by academic Leanne Hinton of Berkeley and has passed on the knowledge and skills of indigenous Native American languages to the youth. As a result, this incentive can provide to maintenance of 25 aboriginal languages
Is enough being done to preserve languages?
Throughout history the world has consisted of many cultures and languages, some of them have been dominant, some of them have been minor. Until the 20th century global and minority languages have continued a peaceful coexistence that has provided cultural diversity for the Earth. In the present this balance has been broken and most of indigenous languages tend to disappear. Although worldwide scientists do not spare efforts to stop this extinction, there is a debate whether it is sufficient to do for saving extinct languages or not. Some experts suggest that some positive trends have emerged in linguistic field which can alleviate the grave situation such as master-apprentices program and large-scale documental projects. However, many scientists assert that the measures are not enough to protect languages from losing, since the rate of this process is extremely high and negative attitudes towards local languages are intensive. Therefore, this essay will contend efforts that have been made to preserve languages are inadequate because of considerable amount of adverse aspects.
There are some effective efforts have been made to save languages in the world. One of these efforts is master-apprentices program which has increased the survival of languages. In this program young people learn their own language by older generation who teach them traditional customs and craftsmanship. For example, in California Native Americans are trained basket weaving in their own native tongue, because of this method it is enough about 300 hours to begin to speak fluently (Knight, 2000). Similarly, another successful master-apprentices program has been developed by academic Leanne Hinton of Berkeley and has passed on the knowledge and skills of indigenous Native American languages to the youth. As a result, this incentive can provide to maintenance of 25 aboriginal languages
References: Knight, J 2000, ‘Lost for words’, New Scientist, 12 August, viewed 14 November 2007, < http:// www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg16722512.400&print=true >. Wayt-Gibbs, W 2002, ‘Saving Dying Languages’, Scientific American, August, p.p. 78-85.