This is of course my own opinion but I do invite others to sway my thinking in another direction. Learning is a continuous experience. Feel free to flame me or educate me as appropriate. I am interested in hearing from others. Which of course is the reason to blog!
I am looking forward to hearing what Kalesha has to say. I was interested in learning the response but was discouraged when the answer was not revealed with a scholarly reason.
Kalesha's question was consistently redirected for reason of pride. Pride is not necessarily a bad thing but it is a selfish act that is defended in order to validate oneself. This in itself is neither bad nor good but it must be recognized. To ethically monitor yourself and be aware of your own identity will allow you to understand all related bias. It is this understanding that is the purpose of advancing education. It is human nature to protect and promote your own bias but it must be understood that you may be wrong even though your are being true to yourself. Different perspective is the only true understanding.
The analogy of killing a panda or an atomic bomb versus bows and arrows are analogies that do not relate. Written language has little establishment in human nature as a whole. I would offer that spoken language is part of identity but to lose it does not mean the end of a population or even individual identity. If losing the ability to speak one specific language was detrimental to identity there would be alot of lost souls in the world.
I did find the speaker and information to be interesting but knowing the "why" of preserving language over another was NOT answered. Granted, the way Alaska native language was taken is not right, however; the preservation of a language in order to justify saving a culture is not a good argument. This is especially true when it is a forced requirement. Progress is inevitable in human nature. This should be apparant to any cognitive mind.
I wanted to speak about this during class today but I knew I would not be able to explain it well. I watched this video clip for another class I am taking. This explains the need to preserve language far better than I. Please take the time to watch it, it's very informative.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.poptech.org/lldd/
Hi James,
ReplyDeleteI agree that the answer to my question was not answered. In class, I felt the need to clarify my question to Mr. Krouss, so I posed it in different ways. Maybe Mr. Krouss did answer the question and I'm just not satisfied.
The reason why I asked the question in the first place, was to know if the death of ancient languages was equaled to losing segments of our ecosystem, something all people depend on.
I definitely did not want to offend anyone in class. Nor did I want to undermine Mr. Krouss's field of study. I was really trying to find the value of preserving ancient languages, and if there was a scientific reason to do so.
I also wanted to ask Mr. Krouss a follow up question, who's responsibility is it to preserve these ancient languages? Me, Native elders, the government? Who?
If the main reason to preserve Native languages was for a culture's identity, than the responsibility is of that culture right? Because you wouldn't want outsiders shaping your identity.
I am generally a proponent of protecting anything that needs to be preserved, but I also need a reason why. If something has lost it's purpose, we stop using it.
I still would like to know if it is necessary to preserve any endangered language?
If so how come? Do we really need 30 different variations of Latin? If the main goal is for people to communicate, is it just natural to shed off excess language?
If some of the Native languages are endangered or extinct, than is it possible that there was no need for them in the long run?
I understand that some languages were taken away by punishment, but if the language was necessary it would not have become extinct, right?
Or if Alaska Natives are split between tradition and modern technology (television), can the language be preserved by a younger generation that may not be interested in revitalizing a language?
I know. These are still questions but I won't be able to form an educated opinion until those who have one speak up.
I hope I understand Kalesha's point correctly. I agree that it is a natural process that some languages die with time. I prefer to let it be like that way, no push, no protection.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the case of native Languages are different, because the recession of their language and culture is not due to the natural process, but because of the invasion of western people. So to some extent, we are obliged to protect their languages.
I want to explain what I mean by "protect."
I personally believe that Native languages die slowly unless the people still living in villages are disconnected with the outside world (I am sorry, but I do think this way.)
For example, now the kids who are learning English at school talk to their parents in their native language. Then when these kids become parents, which language they will use with their kids and grandkids ? As time moves on, the younger generation don’t feel strongly about their identity the way the present generation does. Since the people don’t feel strong about their identity, it would be hard for their language to survive.
However, for now, we still need to help these people “protect” their language because the current generation needs it. When the time comes and the future generations don’t feel very strongly about their identity and don’t need their native language as much as they do now, I think we should let the language die.
This process will take time, it just can’t happen overnight. We just can’t take away their language and force them to learn English unless they themselves want to interact with the rest of the world and keen to learn English.
Hi Quin,
ReplyDeleteI hope I spelled your name right.
Look, I'm not against anything having to do with preserving or protecting languages. Obviously if it is important for those to do so, more power to them.
Either way, language preservation in Alaska does not apply to me because I am not Native and therefore have nothing to contribute.
hmmmmmm，I think "respect" maybe a better word instead of "protect". Because we didn't encourage lots of English-speaking people to learn Native languages to grow the population of native language speaker. We just respect their right to learn and speak their own language instead of force them to study English.
ReplyDelete• If losing the ability to speak one specific language was detrimental to identity there would be a lot of lost souls in the world.
ReplyDelete• If some of the Native languages are endangered or extinct, than is it possible that there was no need for them in the long run?
• I understand that some languages were taken away by punishment, but if the language was necessary it would not have become extinct, right?
Are you really that ethnocentric as to be unable to see the intrinsic reasons of why it is important to save any language?
Ok, perhaps the above statement is a little too soon to ask, as ignorance is bliss. First of all, ask yourself if you can speak more than one language. If you can speak more than one language, think about the different way one can “see” the world in a different manner through the different languages. If you cannot speak more than one language… than this will be a little more difficult to explain.
To address the first bullet-ed statement: There are many, many, many lost souls due to the forced disuse of indigenous mother tongues. Locally, look at Native suicide rates in the States. They are the highest likely individuals to commit suicide. If that does not reflect loss souls, what does?
The following information can be found in full at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-in-the-us-statistics-and-prevention/index.shtml
The overall rate was 10.9 suicide deaths per 100,000 people in the United States in 2006.
• Highest rates:
o American Indian and Alaska Natives — 15.1 per 100,000
I have much more to say on this topic and I will add to this later, right now it is getting late and I am afraid that my anger at this ignorance combined with my exhaustion could lower my inhibitions enough to say (write) something I could have put in a lighter euphemism.
As Salaam Al Alaykum,
ReplyDeleteI see what Quin is saying and that may be the answer. It is not the fact of losing a language is necessarily the change of identity, there are alot of factors involved. This makes sense understanding the historical moment which would be the "why". The question of whom shall protect the language is interesting as well.
Of course only when you look at the entire context rather than pulling peices of the story out can a perspective be seen appropriately. Otherwise protecting a bias is the only resolve.
Masalam
*Do we really need 30 variations of Latin?
ReplyDelete*Whose responsibility is it to save endangered languages?
*Can a language be preserved by a younger generation?
*If some of the Native Languages are extinct or endandered, was there really any need for them in the Long run?
Wow! All good questions for someone who doesn't understand or has been through a genocide of culture and race.
Linda,
ReplyDeleteI actually have much love for you and MJ; I respect and appreciate that you two and Krista have devoted your lives to the preservation of your language. I understand the challenges you face in a westernized culture, make it difficult to be patient to questions such as "why".
I do understand genocide of culture and race. In some respects I am a product of it. I know that centuries ago, my own ancestors were moved from their native country, shipped to the Americas in chains, and were bought and sold into slavery. And only until the 1960's were blacks institutionally equal to whites.
And yet the struggle goes on.
My own grandfather and hundreds of blacks helped to build roads in Alaska in the 1950's while Alaska was still a territory. And yet they will never get credit for it in history books because of the color of their skin.
The Tuskegee airman of WW2, was the black regiment that was subjected to and exposed to incurable, diseases intentionally placed by the government.
Trust me, I understand.
Please try to understand that those who ask questions are not automatically arrogant, bigots, selfish or proud, but instead are scientists, artists, conversationalists,linguistics analysts and historians who seek to understand further by asking the tough questions. In the long run, thoughtful and reflective answers have a larger impact and last longer than cold, calculating statements.
I really enjoy yours and everyone's input and contribution to the class. And I hope that it will continue to be a safe place to learn, read, and express ourselves.
Kalesha
Hi Kalesha,
ReplyDeleteYou’re very right. Thank you for the feedback. You were trying to ask innocent questions and I didn’t give a straight answer. I am sorry. My mood was pretty low that day for personal reasons. So, let me try again:
*Do we really need 30 variations of Latin?
*Whose responsibility is it to save endangered languages?
*Can a language be preserved by a younger generation?
*If some of the Native Languages are extinct or endandered, was there really any need for them in the Long run?
1) I asked that question myself many times about Southern Tutchone. I couldn’t understand why we couldn’t just use one generic dialect. I got my answer when my elders said ok, let’s drop your dialect and use mine. I felt the immediate impact of loss of my ancestors and the language chain of generations cut. We are a unique people and we stand out in many different ways. The other people of the other dialects when hearing me speak, know automatically where I come from, whom I am related to, my clan, and so on… So you see, it’s not as simple as wiping the other dialects off the slate and using one. There are many cultures and people to consider.
2) You asked whose responsibility is it to save Native Languages. In my opinion the responsibility begins with me. I will learn my mother’s tongue and I will teach it to my children. Next it is the community’s responsibility to band together and share the responsibility by using the language in the streets, in the homes, in the band offices and schools. Lastly, the government needs to kick in the dollars to support the loss of languages because it is they who in one generation took it away. I’m sorry to say, yes Kalesha, I think even you as a tax payer has to support languages in schools, daycares, and afterschool language classes and programs.
3) Can a language be preserved by a younger generation? If the language was spoken at home, in the daycares, in the community and schools. If it was used in video games, movies, cartoons in our curriculum yes, the younger generation can help preserve our languages. My grandmother once told me that it will be the very young who will bring our languages back, but we must help them.
4) Your last question seems to be the hardest to answer, but I will give it my best shot. I always think that when we lose an elder we lose an encyclopedia of information. I wished I would have listened better or jotted down some of their knowledge that they shared with me in the past. Some of their information cannot be brought back through memory if it were not recorded. They say, some day we might need to know how to use the old survival skills again if a war broke out or some other disaster happened to the whole world. Who better to go to in Alaska, Yukon, Nunavut or in the North than to someone who knows these traditional skills. It’s the same with language. When I was learning my language, I used to go to my Mom. I cannot do that anymore because she is getting too old and her memory is going. I can go to another fluent speaker if I can find one, but there are so many other things to consider. My need for my endangered language is to save it or I will lose my past, present, and future knowledge of my distinct culture. My children and grandchildren will never know what their grandmother’s words sounded like. My Southern Tutchone language will pass into oblivion. It will be a great loss.
Kwanaschish atlaya. (Thank you my friend)