LING 3220 Spring 2009 Quiz #5 (25 pts)

1. According to estimates, at least what portion of the world's languages could be extinct within the next one to two centuries? (1 pt)

50% minimum (up to 90%)

2. The "median" language in the world (of the 6500 total) is spoken by how many people? (1 pt)

10,000 speakers

3. According to the broad definition of "endangered" which I used in class, when can a language be considered endangered? (1 pt) [Note: this is NOT the definition based on "less than 100,000 speakers," but the definition based on a stage in the language’s "life"]

When the majority of children are not learning the language as their native language. (even if some of them are), then it as already endangered, even if spoken by many, including all older people.

4. What is a master apprentice program? Where is one area they are widely used? What is one strength of these programs? What is a weakness? (4 pts)

Fluent elder paired with non-fluent young person. They attempt to communicate only in the indigenous language, and develop fluency through one-on-one immersion. Widely used in California; also on Great Plains. One strength is they seem to produce competent speakers, and involve using language intensively in real-world settings, mimicking immersion. A weakness is you're not producing very many speakers this way, and it's unlikely the language can return to being the community language.

5. What is the best single way to revitalize a native language? What are at least two obstacles to the employment of this method? (3 pts)

Immersion schools. (In-home is best way to LEARN, but for revitalization, the problem is that in-home is no longer occurring, and independent, in-home revitalization is much more challenging than school-based). Two obstacles include shortage of young, energetic teachers, and shortage of funding. Also, problems with developing curriculum, especially for small-scale program, and convincing parents to enroll their children.

6. Even if a language is not actively being suppressed or discriminated against, asymmetries of scale can work against its long-term survival. Give three specific details about how this happens. (3 pts)

Media: lack of large-scale audience reduces profit potential, discourages production of high-quality media. Also lack of opportunities for widespread use of the language in larger world, outside local community. Also lack of curricular materials or schools in the language, due to dis-economies of scale.

7. The Navajo employ a "counter-hegemonic" public discourse in order to resist years of cultural colonization. What are some of the specific contents of that discourse – in other words, what model of Navajo identity does it propose? (3 pts)

Navajo are strong, resilient, have resisted domination, survived trauma and oppression and triumped with tribal sovereignty. They value their identity, their language, and their culture, and are committed to preserving it. They are not like the stereotype of Euro-American society: lazy, drunk, impoverished, undereducated, etc.

8. John Peabody Harrington worked to document how many languages in his lifetime? How many pages of data did he leave? (2 pts)

90 languages, 1 million pages

9. Based on the class group discussion, what is one specific way in which the Chickasaw are trying to address language loss? What is one obstacle they face within the state of Oklahoma? (2 pts)

Master-apprentice programs. Also documentation activities. Schools are resistant to inclusion of the language. Also funding shortages, especially due to grants.

10. Dakota language documentation workers have one fairly unusual advantage in relation to other tribes, with respect to activities that went on in the 19th century. What is this? (1 pt)

Massive amount of written material, from newspapers and so forth - ready-made for integration into classrooms.

11. Hawaiians have a number of advantages in relation to other indigenous groups in the US when it comes to language maintenance. What are two? (2 pts)

Large overall population in the ethnic group. Only indigenous ethnic group in the state. Large amount of written material, especially from days of independence.

12. Hawaiians also have one surprising disadvantage in relation to all other indigenous Americans. What is that? (1 pt)

Not recognized as a tribe, therefore not eligible for many kinds of federal funding and educational opportunities and programs.

13. The Kaska in the Yukon have a strong degree of respect for elders (who all speak Kaska). Explain how this interferes with language revitalization efforts. (1 pt)

Because of language loss, only elders speak the language fluently. Due to this recent event, the language has been reconceptualized as the property of elders. Therefore young people, in order to respect elders, avoid speaking Kaska, especially in their presence.