Revitalizing Indigenous Languages IV: Making It Work

Greg Smith is a Consilium consultant who has worked on various language revitalization projects around the world. This is the last of a series of articles on international approaches to bringing indigenous language back into day-to-day life. The other articles discussed language revitalization  among the Maori, and in  Hawai'i.

Communities around the world - in Hawai'i and Wales, in New Zealand and Finland, in the Middle East and in the Canadian Arctic - are working to regain their traditional languages, and many are succeeding. So what do these initiatives have to learn from each other, and what can they teach us?

While each language is unique, the successful revitalization strategies all share some common elements. What do they have in common?

• A small group of committed advocates with a strong vision can make a significant difference within a relatively short period of time.
  
• Vision is not enough. It need to be accompanied by goals and a comprehensive strategy and plan.
• Official recognition of the language and its right to exist as a medium of education, community life and the workplace must be protected in legislation as well as government policy.Nunavut probably provides the best contemporary example of progressive legislation to address language revitalization.
• Education is a cornerstone of language revitalization efforts. Children need opportunities to be educated in their language in an immersion environment from pre-school through to higher grades, including secondary school. Post-secondary language and cultural programs, including graduate studies programs, are part of this continuum of learning and support.
• A variety of educational models helps parents, children and older students to find the language environment and program that suits their interests and situation, from total immersion throughout to studying the language as a subject in an English or other major language school or post-secondary institution.
• Indigenous teacher programs help to train, certify and provide teachers.
• Recording, documenting and archiving language resources, including elders, provides critical materials to support the language.
• Members of the minority language group are encouraged to value and use their language, and to understand that learning the language will not impede children’s academic success or reduce later performance. Many graduates go on to higher education and successful careers.
• Language and culture are intertwined throughout programs and activities, including education, social and community life. This encourages the creation of a cultural and linguistic community which supports its members.
  
• Renewal of cultural pride helps to overcome years of oppression for many minority languages. Many people participate in supporting the language for spiritual or personal reasons rather than for practical or economic, reasons.
• Partnerships strengthen language revitalization efforts – for example among language advocacy groups; educational institutions including schools, colleges, and universities; museums; the private sector such as computer software companies or media outlets; and government departments at all levels.
• Potential employment and economic opportunities are created through language revitalization. Opportunities are created for teachers, principals, professors, translators, researchers, planners, policy developers, broadcasters, filmmakers, administrators, tourism entrepreneurs, etc. Realizing this may encourage minority group members or mainstream bodies such as governments, to support these efforts.
• Academic institutions with language and cultural programs may assist with curriculum development, research, teaching, teacher training, advice and support to schools or other programs, and publishing and promotion of results.
• New technologies are embraced as a way of supporting, enhancing and promoting the language. Examples include on-line dictionaries and learning, web-based broadcasting, radio and television, on-line courses etc. and language and cultural programs are widely promoted through a range of publications, media, public appearances and other means.
• Mainstream understanding and support is consciously sought and is important in order to achieve goodwill and sustain legislation, policies, funding programs, and other support for minority languages.
• Standards are being developed and implemented, for example for certification of teachers, language instructors, speakers (e.g. level of fluency achieved), and translators, and some languages are moving towards standardization or uniformity for writing and speaking.
• Adult language classes are offered, usually for minority language group members who have lost their language, and where minority language groups obtain political power or influence, they have more control over language policies and programs.
• There is a multilateral . integrated approach – through the family, workplace, school, community, and media, to supporting languages.
• Languages continue to grow, adapt and incorporate new terminology – often through a language commission or a lexicon committee and evolving dictionaries.
• Resources – books, articles, songs, poetry - can be created in the language or translated from English or other languages in order to create a wide base of literature.
• National and international exchanges and outreach provide information exchange and opportunities to learn about best practices, lessons learned, and potential models and examples.

A language is the history, geography, spirituality and culture of a people. With each language lost, a people is diminished - and so is our world. These are treasures worth saving.