podcast about endangered languages

Most Meaningful Takeaway

For linguists, it seems clear and obvious that every effort should be made to document and preserve endangered languages, however, it is also important to be explicit about the reasons to support these efforts. Asking why it is important to preserve endangered languages is parallel to asking why the study of history is important, as language is a standard connecting past with present.

It is a well-established concept that language gives a voice to cultural identity. This means that people who speak the same language are united by sense of commonness therefore it would be easier for them to interact and know each other and connect amongst themselves. They are able to communicate and identify with each other more easily which enables and promotes social interaction therefore they wouldn’t be isolated nor segregated due to the lack of incompetence. Without a common language, people, would hardly recognize each other or their tradition even though they derive from the same roots and ancestors, some may not recognize their harmony, making them feel as different as two strangers that had never meet nor are from the same country.

In my opinion I believe that’s what David Malouf’s short story “the only speaker of his tongue" was trying to express and make the audience aware of as not only he has created and imbedded this idea in our heads, he made us think clearly about it and how endangered languages are going to affect people in certain ways and aspects if they weren’t saved. 

What is the value of preserving indigenous languages?

“For linguists, it seems clear and obvious that every effort should be made to document and preserve endangered languages, however, it is also important to be explicit about the reasons to support these efforts. Asking why it is important to preserve endangered languages is parallel to asking why the study of history is important, as language is a standard connecting past with present.”

It is a well-established concept that language gives a voice to cultural identity. This means that people who speak the same language are united by sense of commonness therefore it would be easier for them to interact and know each other and connect amongst themselves. They are able to communicate and identify with each other more easily which enables and promotes social interaction therefore they wouldn’t be isolated nor segregated due to the lack of incompetence. Without a common language, people, would hardly recognize each other or their tradition even though they derive from the same roots and ancestors, some may not recognize their harmony, making them feel as different as two strangers that had never meet nor are from the same country. A lack of a common language results in isolation and segregation of communities leading them to fall apart. Language is and essential feature related to culture and identity once taken away a child “youth” may lose the sense of connecting back to their personal history or even their belongings. Due to the lack of language it would be nearly impossible for the elders of a tribe or a community to teach the children about their people’s history, ancestral beliefs, values, systems, foods, animals, the history of their land, traditional medicines or kinship concepts. Thus creating an endless gap that’s going to increase as time passes by.