CFEL ANNUAL TECHNICAL REPORT CENTRE FOR ENDANGERED LANGUAGES TEZPUR UNIVERSITY MARCH 2017 Glimpses of Northeast India VISION To help the endangered language communities revive and maintain their native languages with a developing sense of loyalty towards them. MISSION To make the Centre one of the best centres working on endangered languages in the country and worldwide. To create a database of all such languages with grammatical descriptions and documentation. Message from Vice-Chancellor Autonomy with Accountability I am indeed very happy that a Centre for Endangered Languages has now been set up at Tezpur University. I take this opportunity to thank UGC, New Delhi for its resolu- tion to establish such a Centre here at the University and for providing the requisite funds for it. Nearly 220 languages are spoken in Northeast India, but most of them have hardly been studied. More importantly, many of these languages are now critical- ly endangered, some even are on the verge of becoming extinct in the near future. I, therefore, see the establishment of the Centre as a well-thought-out and timely inter- vention to the situation. As I understand, the UGC has established two more such Centres at Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim University, Gangtok, for which the Tezpur University Centre will act the Consortium Leader. The prime goal of these three Centres will be to work towards preservation and promotion of the endangered and lesser known languages of this part of the country. A language is a unique expression of the way a people view, think of, and understand the world. The loss of any lan- guage is, therefore, an irrevocable loss for all humanity. Yet, according to a recent UNESCO report, out of the approxi- mately 6,000 existing languages in the world more than 2,500 are under threat of imminent extinction. They may be extinct even before the next century begins. As for the Indian languages, 196 are currently endangered according to the above-mentioned report. On the other hand, most of these languages are rooted in Northeast India. Speakers of many of the languages in Northeast India, which belong to different language families, are rather small in number, ranging from 1000 to 10,000. With the new genera- tions sharply shifting to dominant languages in order to ensure jobs for themselves these languages are now increasingly under the threat of being extinct altogether. In a world of an ever expanding and consolidating market economy, it is not always easy to fight against the hegemony of the languages of the market; many are, therefore, rather sceptical about the very concept of ‘revitalization of the en- dangered languages’, but there is perhaps no need to be too pessimistic about it. At least this seemingly utopian concept has made the world aware of the immanent yet tragic disappearance of the majority of the languages. I am happy to learn that colleagues at the CFEL of the University have already started working on nine select endangered languages of Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland in close cooperation with the respective communities and that their basic grammatical descriptions are nearing completion. I very much appreciate the hard work they are carrying out by going to remote far- off places to collect data; their sincere efforts to mingle with the communities, which alone can ensure the success of the mission. I am also happy to learn that the Centre has in the meantime established a documentation and a phonetic la- boratory in order that all such languages can be documented and archived. Currently, the Centre is also running an MA programme in Linguistics and Endangered Languages and offering two CBCS courses on language endangerment and related issues, response to which, as I am given to understand to my satisfaction, has been very positive. Presently the Centre is staffed with three Assistant Professors, three Research Associates, eight Field Assistants, one technical assistant, and two other office staff. The Centre is now annexed to the Dept. of English and Foreign Lan- guages of the University and all the faculty members of Linguistics from this Department are associated with the Centre as monitors, which also include its current Co-ordinator. The Centre was established under the 12th Plan and the UGC had approved a total of 6 crore for the five-year project. Out of this amount Rs. 3 crore was released in December 2015. I am happy to see that the money has been properly utilized and that an audit of the expenditure has also been carried out. The challenge that the Centre has taken up is of course enormous. But I am confident that the people at the Centre will be able to meet the challenge with total dedication and hard work; with perceptive insights and of course with true love and an unwavering loyalty to these languages and the communities. I wish the Centre a very bright future. Date: 02 May 2017 Prof Mihir K. Chaudhury 2 COORDINATOR’S NOTE The Centre for Endangered Languages of Tezpur University was established in the year 2014 vide letter No F.No.15-6/2012 rd (CU) dated 3 April 2014 from the UGC, New Delhi. Tezpur University along with Rajiv Gandhi University and Sikkim Universi- ty were advised to work in a cluster format, as a Consortium for the purpose of Development of the North-Eastern languages th with Tezpur University as the lead cluster. The Centre for Endangered Languages (CFEL) was constituted under the 12 Plan scheme and an amount of 6 crore was recommended for Tezpur University. The task assigned to Tezpur University was to work to cover languages of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland. The work had to commence simultaneously. As Lead Cluster, Tezpur University had the added responsibility to conduct two day workshop for preparing a complete work plan for the pur- pose of the scheme. CFEL, Tezpur University received 3 crore as grants-in-aid under the Scheme of Establishment of Centres of Endangered Lan- th guages in Central Universities during XII Plan for the year 2015-16 vide letter No. F.82-1/2015(CU) dated 27 August 2015 from the UGC, New Delhi. st nd A two day Seminar cum Administrative Workshop was organized in Tezpur University from 1 to 2 August 2014. The objec- tive of the two day programme was to discuss the action plan of the cluster and the administrative and financial implication of the staff to be appointed by the centres. Prof. U.N. Singh, National Coordinator, CFEL, Prof. K.C. Kapoor VC in charge, Rajiv Gandhi University, Dr. Rachob Tada, Registrar, Rajiv Gandhi University, Prof. Charulata Mahanta, Dean Research and Devel- opment, Tezpur University, Dr. Lakhi Boral, Controller of Examinations, Tezpur University, Dr. Simon John, Coordinator, Rajiv Gandhi University, Dr. Samar Sinha, Coordinator Sikkim University, the faculty of AITS, Rajiv Gandhi University and the linguis- tics faculty of the Department of EFL, Tezpur University participated in the meeting. nd th th A 2 Regional Workshop of CFEL was conducted from 6 to 8 April 2016. The objective of this three day workshop was twofold: i.e. to develop a complete work plan for conducting field survey, data collection, audio-visual recording and docu- mentary film making. Prof. Udaya Narayan Singh, National Coordinator presided over the workshop. The newly appointed faculty and staff of Rajiv Gandhi University and Tezpur University attended the Workshop. The Coordinators Dr. Simon John and Dr. Samar Sinha were present at the Workshop. The faculty of AITS, Rajiv Gandhi University and the linguistics faculty of the Department of EFL, Tezpur University participated in the meeting. Dr. Biren Das, Registrar, Tezpur University attended the inaugural function. Prof. U.N. Singh spoke on how field survey needs to be conducted and circulated amongst the partici- pants a draft on guidelines and questionnaire to be used as Field Manual for conducting field work. The CFEL Advisory Committee Meeting was held on 26 July 2016 to take stock of (i) the recruitment of the faculty, research and field staff and office bearers of the Centre and (ii) the work undertaken by the CFEL staff. Prof. Mihir Kanti Chaudhuri, VC, Tezpur University chaired the meeting. Prof. U.N. Singh National Coordinator and external member Advisory Committee, the linguistic faculty and the faculty and staff of the Centre attended the meeting. The Coordinator presented the progress report of the Centre. In a span of nine months starting June 2016 to March 2017; CFEL, Tezpur University has conducted three field trips. Seven groups comprising faculty, research associate and field assistants have simultaneously started working on seven endangered languages in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland. Later, two more endangered languages were included to form a sum total of nine languages being surveyed and documented in a span of nine months. Due to road blockade and bandhs in Manipur, it was difficult for the two groups working in Manipur to travel and continue their data collection process and at times their field work got delayed. On one occasion informants from Senapati District had to come to the Centre so that data collection of the groups could take place simultaneously. Besides documentation, the Centre has two academic programmes: (i) MA in Linguistics and Language Endangerment, and (ii) 6 month Certificate Course in Endangered Languages. The Centre offers two CBCS courses. The Centre plans to offer a PhD programme in the next phase. Publication of the findings of the documented languages is in our priority list. We will bring out books on these languages for revitalization and maintenance. Dr. Madhumita Barbora Coordinator CFEL HOD, Department of EFL 3 OBJECTIVES To train the native speakers of endangered/lesser known languages of the North East in linguistic analysis; To develop text books and other study materials in these languages; To publish research works on these languages; To encourage the communities of these languages to extend and expand the use of their languages in maximum number of domains; To create an archive of all relevant data on these languages; To collaborate with other Departments or Centres such as Cultural Studies; Sociology in studying these languages.