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Location: Aboriginal Issues
Discussion: Preserve and value Indigenous languages
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kyangadac kyangadac |
Preserve and value Indigenous languages
Mar 1 2008, 9:50 AM EST We Australians are good at driving mammals to extinction but we are even better at driving languages into extinction. Language centres are sporadic occurences reliant upon annual funding grants. There are NO tertiary courses that allow majors in Indigenous languages. A language like Noongar, despite there being 37,000 Noongar people, is endangered because the recording/ listening to elders who have learnt this language traditionally is still done by amateurs and family members. Even in communties where an Indigenous language is the primary language, comprehensive dictionaries exist for only a fortunate few like Arrente. Apart from their intrinsic worth (which is significant) language is the life blood of culture and culture is the basis of identity. People without identity or with a negative identity ('blacks') have no basis for self esteem and their sense of worth is entirely dependent upon what others think of them. This is why Indigenous 'stars' often seem so frail and vulnerable to drugs and drink or alternatively cleave to religion or appearing whiter than white. If we don't want it to be about colour then we have to recognize the need for identity. 7 out of 18 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Anonymous |
RE: Preserve and value Indigenous languages
Mar 9 2008, 8:31 PM EDT I agree that it would be good to preserve and teach Aboriginal languages but I do not agree with the remainder of your aguement. We are not all including 'our stars' prone to 'drugs or drink', cleave to religion or apear whiter than white. That is a horrible thing to say. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Andy38 Andy38 |
RE: Preserve and value Indigenous languages
Mar 10 2008, 8:06 AM EDT I don't speak Gaelic* & have no desire to learn. * Or Old English or Dutch or Danish for that matter. 0 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Anonymous |
RE: Preserve and value Indigenous languages
Mar 11 2008, 5:15 AM EDT 'often' does not equal 'all' Do you find this valuable? |