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If you speak English, it may seem like a no-brainer that it has become the
lingua franca, but that isn’t such a no-brainer if you live in a non-English
speaking country – or are descended from those who speak other
languages. Due to the combined effects of colonialization, globalization and
– quite honestly – and an unfortunate lack of respect for other cultures in
the economically developed world, languages across the globe are
becoming extinct.

Saving indigenous languages is

crucial
Indigenous languages are hardest hit since their speakers are a distinct
minority – both in number and socioeconomic status. According to the
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United Nations, “[t]heHOME

world’s indigenous
SERVICESlanguages are under threat
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disappearing, with one language dying every two weeks and many more at
risk.” To thisFREQUENTLY ASKED for
end, the UN’s Division QUESTIONS ABOUT
Social Policy and US
DevelopmentBLOG CONTACT
(DSPD) works diligently with linguistic and indigenous peoples experts from
around the world to address how we can protect and revitalize indigenous
languages.

Professor Megan Davis, Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous

Issues, is emphatic that saving indigenous languages is crucial, not only
for the indigenous peoples who speak them but for the world at large. She
states, “Saving indigenous languages is crucial to ensure the protection of
the cultural identity and dignity of indigenous peoples and safeguard their
traditional heritage.”

And it’s not just indigenous people and protectors of disempowered ethnic
minorities who are concerned; the French government, for example, is one
of the most famous “protectors of language,” considering French continues
to be one of the Top 15 most widely spoken languages in the world.

The website Globalization101 cites several larger, more powerful countries

dedicated to preserving their language and, yes, prohibiting English from
public signage. Examples include:

The French Academy, which routinely scours the land for invasive words
from other languages, most notably English ones. “Walkman,” “talk
show,” “prime time”, “chewing gum”, as well as others, have been
declared unwelcome foreign words.
Canada’s French speaking province of Quebec, where provincial
regulations stipulate that any sign containing English posted by a
business must also post the same text in French in letters at least twice
the size of the English text.
The Chinese government, which attempts to protect the integrity of its
language by removing foreign words from dictionaries.

The most common methods

used to protect language
While legally and government-enforced methods may be effective to a
point, the UN and others agree there are better ways to preserve a
country’s mainstream languages as well as lesser-used dialects.

Creating recorded and printed resources

Recorded and printed documentation are essential for preserving
languages’ sound and context. Linguists, anthropologists, and committed
citizens work to interview, record, and document languages to preserve
them via durable, physical media. These resources are published and
preserved in libraries, academic institutions, museums, and cultural
centers.

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Two world-class examples

HOMEof thisSERVICES
include: LANGUAGES AND LOCATIONS
National Geographic’s Enduring Voices program
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The Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages

Teaching and taking language classes

Both teaching and participating in language classes are excellent ways to
keep a language alive. Typically, elders volunteer or are paid small stipends
to lead classes for a community. Speaking a language—even if only in a
classroom or occasional conversational setting—is enough to give stronger
and greater value to its words and nuanced meanings, some of which may
not translate directly in any other language.

Using digital and social media outlets

On one hand, it can seem like digital and social media outlets are major
players in drowning out languages – particularly since English is these
outlets’ dominant language. On the other hand, those who wish to preserve
indigenous languages have realized these are major modes of information
sharing. Therefore, they utilize social media channels, YouTube, and other
platforms to create courses, share expressions or sayings that are fading
from the repertoire, record Karaoke versions of traditional songs with
printed lyrics, and to affordably maintain a preservable record—audio,
video, and text—of the target language.

Insist on speaking your native language

Perhaps one of the most important things groups, families, and individuals
can do is insist on speaking their native language, resisting the urge to
succumb to a dominant group’s language. Professional interpreters are a
fantastic tool for this – ensuring business professionals can engage equally
across language divides – never sacrificing their ability to understand
what’s being said.

Whether you’re interested in promoting the linguistic rights of your

multinational contacts or are committed to preserving your language, the
professional translators and simultaneous interpreters at Chang-Castillo
and Associates are here for you. We provide platinum-standard language
solutions anywhere around the globe – and in just about any language or
dialect. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you preserve your
native language.

January 18, 2019 By Chang-Castillo Language

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