Revitalizing Endangered Languages

by Justyna Olko (Editor), Julia Sallabank (Editor)

Of the approximately 7,000 languages in the world, at least half may no longer be spoken by the end of the twenty-first century. Languages are endangered by a number of factors, including globalization, education policies, and the political, economic and cultural marginalization of minority groups. This guidebook provides ideas and strategies, as well as some background, to help with the effective revitalization of endangered languages. It covers a broad scope of themes including effective planning, benefits, wellbeing, economic aspects, attitudes and ideologies. The chapter authors have hands-on experience of language revitalization in many countries around the world, and each chapter includes a wealth of examples, such as case studies from specific languages and language areas. Clearly and accessibly written, it is suitable for non-specialists as well as academic researchers and students interested in language revitalization. This book is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

350 pages, Paperback

Published August 3, 2023

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of strategies, varying in practicality and effectiveness, takes as a given that even languages spoken by a small number of people are worth preserving, even if they can't be maintained.
Constantly improving technologies, with declining prices and simpler user interfaces enhance the probability that they can be, at least, recorded. The book is pre-TikTok, but post YouTube, so that democratic platform is an obvious method embraced by cultural preservationists. TikTok already has many channels (is that what they are called in that platform?) sending cultural information around the world.