Breath of Life into language revitalization.

 

Professor Leanne Hinton

Visiting American linguist and one of the world’s leading experts on language revitalization, Professor Leanne Hinton, in Canberra last week at the major seminar – and panel discussion – on language protection hosted by AIATSIS. (Photo: John Paul Janke).

 

2 April 2012

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (AIATSIS’s) newly created Centre for Australian Languages will explore the possibility of piloting the trail blazing native American language revitalization program “Breath of Life”.

This follows significant discussions with visiting American linguist and one of the world’s leading experts on language revitalization, Professor Leanne Hinton, in Canberra on Thursday 28 March to attend a major seminar – and panel discussion – on language protection hosted by AIATSIS.

Professor Hinton explained that the “Breath of Life” program was a program whereby purely from archived historical documentation held in various American collections, libraries and universities – and in American Indian communities – Indigenous Americans working with researchers had been able to breath life back into languages that no longer had any native speakers.

“It is a remarkable program,” said Director of AIATSIS’s Indigenous Social and Cultural Wellbeing Program, Dr Jaky Troy.  “Given the demonstrated success of this program we believe AIATSIS, given the size of our collection of Indigenous language material, is well placed to trial it in Australia.

“We have begun exploring this possibility although whether we can achieve will entirely depend on whether we can obtain the relevant funding,” Dr Troy said.

She said the recent language seminar and panel discussion which featured Aboriginal Australians actively involved in language revitalizations together with some of Australia’s most noted linguists, had been a huge success.

“It attracted people from many parts of Australia,” she added.  “Over 70 people attended. We even had Aboriginal visitors from Moree who are running a community based language program”.

Professor Hinton explained that like Australia, there had been a huge loss a native American languages.

In California, for example, where she is based, from over 100 original languages few were now spoken fully and several of those had just a handful of people who could speak that language.

Professor Hinton said she had been able to tour the Institute and applauded the role it played, in particular some of its outreach programs. 

“AIATSIS is an inspiration,” she said.

Professor Hinton also showed the film “We Still Live Here” which is the story of Jessie Little Doe Baird in which she shows the remarkable story of cultural revival by the Wampanoag of Southeastern Massachusetts. 

Leading Australian language experts joining Professor Hinton for the panel discussion were:

 

Dr Troy said apart from co-sponsoring with the Australian National University’s Australian National Dictionary Centre a public lecture by Professor Hinton on March 28, AIATSIS’s Australian Language Centre was determined to play a significant role in language revitalization.

“We are a small team but we are a dedicated team and we intend to make a difference,” Dr Troy said.

“After all, that we make a difference is imperative.  

“Before European colonization there were 250 languages unique to Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  Today just 18 Australian Indigenous languages are considered strong – that is spoken by people across all age groups”.