Language Endangerment and Language Revitalization
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Language Endangerment and Language Revitalization W DE G Language Endangerment and Language Revitalization An Introduction by Tasaku Tsunoda Mouton de Gruyter Berlin · New York An electronic version of this book is freely available, thanks to the support of libra- ries working with Knowledge Unlatched. KU is a collaborative initiative designed to make high quality books Open Access. More information about the initiative can be found at www.knowledgeunlatched.org An electronic version of this book is freely available, thanks to the support of libra- ries working with Knowledge Unlatched. KU is a collaborative initiative designed to make high quality books Open Access. More information about the initiative can be found at www.knowledgeunlatched.org ISBN 978-3-11-021808-4 e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-021809-1 e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-021806-2 ISSN 0179-0986 e-ISSN 0179-3256 ISBN 978-3-11-021808-4 e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-021809-1 e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-021806-2 ISSNThis work0179-0986 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License, e-ISSNas of February 0179-3256 23, 2017. For details go to http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A CIP catalog record for this book has been applied for at the Library of Congress. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License, asBibliografische of February 23, Information 2017. For details der Deutschen go to http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/. Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliogra- Libraryfie; detaillierte of Congress bibliografische Cataloging-in-Publication Daten sind im Internet Data über Ahttp://dnb.dnb.de CIP catalog record abrufbar. for this book has been applied for at the Library of Congress. Bibliografische© 2016 Walter de Information Gruyter GmbH, der Deutschen Berlin/Boston Nationalbibliothek DieDruck Deutsche und Bindung: Nationalbibliothek Duck & Co., Ortsname verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliogra- fie;♾ Gedruckt detaillierte auf bibliografische säurefreiem Papier Daten sind im Internet über http://dnb.dnb.dePrinted in Germany abrufbar. ©www.degruyter.com 2016 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston Druck und Bindung: Duck & Co., Ortsname ♾ Gedruckt auf säurefreiem Papier Printed in Germany www.degruyter.com Preface In almost every part of the world, minority languages are threatened with ex- tinction. At the same time, dedicated efforts are being made to document endan- gered languages, to maintain them, and even to revive once-extinct languages. The present volume presents a comprehensive overview of issues that concern language endangerment and language revitalization. It will be useful first to outline the present writer's involvement in endan- gered languages, which spans more than thirty years. He has been working on Australian Aboriginal languages since 1971. The languages studied include Warrungu of North Queensland, in the north-east part of the continent, and Djaru (also spelt Jaru) and Wanyjirra in the north-west part. For many of the languages he worked on, he was able to find only one or two speakers, and three at best. In his fieldwork experience, working with the last speakers of moribund languages is almost the norm, and not an exception. Most of the languages he worked on are now extinct (e.g. Warrungu) or facing extinction (e.g. Wanyjir- ra). Among the languages he worked on, the one that has the largest number of speakers is Jaru. It probably has as many as 150 to 200 speakers (!) as of 2002, but the younger generation is in the main no longer learning the language. Since 2000, the writer has been participating in the movement to revive a number of languages of North Queensland, and since March 2002 he has had the privilege of conducting Warrungu lessons for Warrungu people. To sum up, the present work is one of the outcomes of the writer's more than 30 years' involvement in endangered languages. This book is a revision of the lecture notes for the course "Language endan- germent and language revitalization", which the writer conducted at the Uni- versity of Tokyo from the 1999 academic year to the 2002 academic year, and in the 2004 academic year. It is intended as a textbook for postgraduate and ad- vanced undergraduate students. Nonetheless, it does not require knowledge of advanced linguistics. Students who have completed an introductory course in linguistics should be able to easily comprehend its contents. This book has the following features, which may not be shared by other works on language endangerment and/or language revitalization. First, it is written by someone who has first-hand experience with both of documentation of endangered languages and language revitalization activities. Second, it con- tains a large number of anecdotes that are drawn from the writer's own field- work experience in Australia. It will give a vivid presentation of what it is like to work on endangered languages and to participate in language revitalization vi Preface activities. Third, it deals with a wide range of topics, some of which are not dis- cussed by other works on language endangerment and/or language revitaliza- tion. Fourth, it contains ample references to the relevant literature - not only in References, but also in the main text. This will provide useful guidance for fur- ther research. This volume will be of interest to a wide readership, including linguists, an- thropologists, sociologists, and educators. Tokyo, July 2004 Tasaku Tsunoda Acknowledgements The present work is dedicated to many Aboriginal Australians who taught/teach the writer their languages. It is due to their efforts that their linguistic heritage was/is recorded and is passed on to posterity. In particular, this book is dedicated to the memory of the late Mr. Alf Palm- er (Warrungu name: Jinbilnggay) (see Photos 1 and 2), the last fluent speaker of the Warrungu language of northeast Australia, who used to say to the writ- er, "I'm the last one to speak Warrungu. When I die, this language will die. I'll teach you everything I know, so put it down properly". In retrospect, it was Alf Palmer who taught the writer the importance of documenting endangered lan- guages. It was in the early 1970s, long before linguists began to pay attention to the crisis of language endangerment. He was a man of wisdom and fore- sight. The present work refers to a large number of community members the writer interviewed in Australia and New Zealand. (The only exception is the late Har- ry Gertz; he was not interviewed by the writer.) It cites, for example, their poem, language activities, views, statements, and/or language proficiency. Some of them are now deceased. Every effort was made to obtain citation permission from the people concerned, or - in the case of deceased people (indicated by t) - from their family members. The following people issued such permission re- garding the people whose names follow the colon. Australia: (a) Tanbar Banks (Jaru name: Jidngarri, Danbangali): herself, (b) Eric Bunn: tHarry Bunn, (c) Kathleen Cox: herself, (d) Rachel Cummins: herself, tAlf Palmer (Warrungu name: Jinbilnggay), John Cummins, Knomi Cummins, Tahlia Cummins, Mheelin Cummins, (e) Bonnie Deegan: herself, (f) Dale Gertz, Janine Gertz: tHarry Gertz, (g) Mona Green: herself, (i) Arthur Johnson: tAlec White, (j) Lyle Johnson: himself, +Alec White, (k) Susan Johnson: tAlec Col- lins (Warrungu name: Wulngarra), (1) Tiny McCale (Wanyjirra names: Wajngar- ri, Wajayi): herseif, (m) Walter Palm Island, Jr.: tReggie Palm Island, (n) Maggie Scott (Wanyjirra names: Dalyngarri, Dangayi): herself, and (o) Stephen Walsh: himself, tEddie Barker. Kimberley Language Resource Centre obtained per- mission from the following people on behalf of the writer: Tanbar Banks, Kath- leen Cox, Bonnie Deegan, Mona Green, Tiny McCale, and Maggie Scott. It was not possible to obtain permission regarding the following people: Chris Duncan, Kathleen Duncan, tJack Jugayarri (Jaru name: Jugayarri), tBarney Moses, +Rob- ert Moses, +Nyun.gaja Paddy (Wanyjirra names: Nyun.ganyun.ga, Nyun.gaja), and Ruby (Wanyjirra (?) names: Janyjiwug, Yurun). The reader is requested to re- viii Acknowledgements spect the traditional practice among Aboriginal Australians whereby mention of the name of a deceased person - in particular, recently deceased - is avoided. New Zealand: (a) Tamati Te Hau: himself, and (b) Rhonda TeWheoro: her- self. These community members are mentioned to acknowledge their efforts to have their linguistic heritage recorded or to pass it onto posterity. The preparation of this book has benefited from assistance and advice pro- vided by a large number of people: the people mentioned above, and also those mentioned below. The comments and suggestions supplied by the students who attended the writer's course "Language endangerment and language revitalization" were valuable. Peter Austin, Nancy C. Dorian, John Herbert, and an anonymous reviewer read an early draft in its entirety, and furnished useful comments. In particular, special words of thanks are due to Nancy Dorian, who read the entire draft thor- oughly, provided penetrating comments and suggestions, and gave useful ref- erences. It is impossible to adequately thank her for her guidance and encour- agement. The following people read one or more chapters of an earlier draft and pro- vided valuable comments: Jeanie Bell, Siobhan Casson, Diana Eades, Colette Grinevald, Shun-ichi Ikeda, John Maher, David Nathan, Osami Okuda, and Akira Yamamoto. The writer benefited from discussions with, or, comments, suggestions, and/ or references to relevant works, from Willem Adelaar, Linda Barwick, James A. Bauman, Joseph Blythe, Matthias Brenzinger, Daniela Cäluianu, Rachel Cum- mins, Tamsin Donaldson, Daisuke Ebina, John Giacon, Jeffrey Heath, Joyce Hudson, Alexsandr Kibrik, Jeanette King, Harold Koch, Mayumi Kudo, Chris- tian Lehmann, Luisa Maffi, Toshihide Nakayama, David Nash, Rangi Nich- olson, Satoshi Nishioka, Liam O Cuinneagáin, Midori Osumi, Patricia Shaw, Peter Sutton, Suwilai Premsrirat, Tomoko Takahashi, and Takeshi Tsunoda.