Language Revival
Linguists and language educators now talk about Language Revival, and its three sub-types:
- Revitalisation where a language still spoken by the older generation needs special support for it to be passed on to the younger generations.
- Renewal where a language is no longer spoken ‘right through’ by anyone, but enough knowledge exists to develop a language learning program.
- Reclamation where there has been a complete break in the transmission of the spoken language, but there is sufficient evidence (e.g. historical records, related languages) for language reconstruction and learning.
Steps involved in reviving language?
- Assess documentation on the language;
- Find sources of knowledge within the Aboriginal community;
- Gather information such as wordlists, examples of sentences and narratives; and
- Sort, store and deploy the information for relevant purposes, such as a resource for a classroom situation.
- Identify what language work best reflects the community's language revival needs.
- Identify what resources or support eg attachment of a linguist, that may assist the language revival project
Why is it important to record a language?
Recording an Aboriginal language contributes to the pride that a community has for its culture. These recordings are a legacy for future generations. In the shorter term, the recordings provide input to the development of resources for the use of schools in the wider community.
See the Oral History Association of Australia Website for information on how to preserve oral history recordings. The organization has equipment to assist recording and transcribing: www.ohaa.net.au/