Languages dying

[faire_jour]

Great article, great thread.
I specially want to point out the final part.

Viable languages: Have population bases that are sufficiently large and thriving to mean that no threat to long-term survival is likely;
Viable but small languages: Have more than c. 1,000 speakers, and are spoken in communities that are isolated or with a strong internal organization, and aware of the way their language is a marker of identity;
Endangered languages: Are spoken by enough people to make survival a possibility, but only in favourable circumstances and with a growth in community support;
Nearly extinct languages: Are thought to be beyond the possibility of survival, usually

As I just said a couples of days ago in another thread, Deaf community needs to realize that they need to perpetuate in their own way.
I want to see Deaf scientists... Deaf artists... I want to see investigations made by the Deaf... EVERYWHERE... not just in youtube... or in organizations still lead by hearings... but then again, how're you going to perpetuate? You need to documentate in some way your achivements. A way that's accepted by all the deaf around the world. Oral-written languages can't be the answer, otherwise, you'll rely more on those than in your own.

How does the deaf comunity see to theyselves?
"Viable"? "Nearly extinct"?

I know you dont see yourselves nearly extinct... but I can speak about my local community, that the argentinean sign language is "spoken by enough people to make survival a possibility, but only in favourable circumstances and with a growth in community support" will survive.

"Community support".
That's the key.
"Aware of the way their language is a marker of identity"
That's the way- Language is a marker of identity.
Fight for it.

I would say ASL is "endangered". It needs support and growth.

 

[Sumaria]

This is and has always been the case. Language is constantly changing and old languages constantly go extinct while new ones are born.

The difference is that we now live in a globalized world. Technology helps people from different corners of the world to communicate easily and to transmit culture, language, and knowledge through the Internet and television.

English has become the universal language in many parts of the world. American culture is influencing many cultures. For example, Korea seems to be very influenced by American music and does not seem to differ very much from it. Many people in different parts of the world dress in Western styles, not really their their traditional or even a unique fashion that represents their own culture. This is indication that cultures worldwide are beginning to unify.

So while in the past it would have been true that new languages emerged, I believe that instead of forming their own languages, people will turn to more dominant languages like English, French or Spanish.

 

[Frisky Feline]

Well stem cells are still only a possibilty right now.
They might help, but then again they might not.
Well did you know that when hearing aids become popular, a lot of deafies thought that ASL was going to die?

Good point.

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

CJB is right though...

Ever heard of "pidgin languages" or "creole languages"?

We are starting to see Pidgin English and such rising all over the world...

 

[Grummer]

Souggy, yeah I've heard of Pidgin and Creole, yep those mutations of "English" could be partly explained to be reflected from domination of "western economics" and apparently for a long time English was considered as a language for Business (just find out about european countries) and lately (meaning last 25 years or so) asian countries have English as either compulsory or optional subjects (depending which countries and what policy they have in place, - again this reflects what priority they put this on) in schools and universites for English....but it's 'spreading' as so more and more foriegners are more skilled in their specialised work (like nuclear physics , environmental science, commerce, even veterinary science (I have meet Koreans in NZ who was a nuclear phyiscist for Earthquake/volanological science - not sure whats the connection there??) and took on English as perhaps as a compulsory requirement and perhaps their governements are bent on developing their national wealth by sending of their 'best' in 'per high level professions' abroad....so no wonder....and yet again all other countries are doing the same..... So....its hardly bloody surprising other countries have nuclear capabilities....as i would have it that they were spying...
back to the topic

Sumaria, English is not a 'universal language'! it is considered primarily as a Business language, sure globalisation of television and internet informational access permeated English but its real reason has nothing to do with 'global goody goody good and freindly 'everyone speaks the same language' Rubbish!! it is War, instead with camoflauge uniforms arms, it is with suits and suitcases....

interesting how DD said 'when hearing aids got popular everyone thought ASl would die....' to me, yes it seem to repeat with CI...besides the point....how it could be explained is that it shows the dominant thinking 'hearing aids = hearing world" they are taking over...well truth is hearing people have already taken over, and indeed even now hearing people STILL dominate!, while we have a so-called 'working relationship' in the professional fields such as Education (as the most 'popular, mose obvious professions where deaf and hearing worlds meet)...there are alot of loopholes as such that 'no one is allowed to touch' in which so, the reality is that CI = hearing way still dominates, get back to my point...what I am trying to say is, the mentality, the 'fears' oh CI is wiping out Deaf culture (back then no one really thought language and culture was interconnected until scholars made some links and trickled down these ideas in d/Deaf politics) this mentality actually reflects how powerful is the hearing ideology, it intimidates us, in such a way 'theres nothin we can do but ...this or that...up to parents up to children...' dammit not even close to my point how id say this, the mentality is reflecting the social reality which is shaped by everything we see/hear/read/talk about/being aware of the 'modern world' (think medicine is a obvious example of this modern world, as does how relevent money is) all this shaping, isnt just reflections - our responds are- those shaping are real, while we cant touch it, feel it, smell it - it is there, that the way our language uses reflects exactly how the world is.