On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 11:47, M. Williamson <node.ue(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Milos, it is a fantasy of many that is not supported
by research, that just
because people are rich or have technology, their language will magically
not die.
I wouldn't say that it is a fantasy, but bold speculation :D
I am not saying that wealth is the most important factor, not even
technology in general, but enormously increased level of communication
during the last 10-15 years, which is not counted inside of the
present researches.
From what I see during the last dozen of years, many
languages are in
the process of revival: Celtic languages, some Uralic languages
etc.
Cases of Manx and Livonian are impressive, for example. When I heard
for the first time about revival of Welsh, I was thinking that it is a
noble, but fruitless attempt. However, it is not anymore an exception,
but such revivals are occurring at more and more places.
And we have examples of bilingual community with dominant LWC, but
living native language through many generations. Sorbian languages are
the example. No, it won't be used very actively, but it will survive
as a language of specific culture and because of identity purposes.
Manx, Livonian and many indigenous languages have chances to survive
like that. Welsh has chances to survive as fully recovered language.
This process is repeating itself around the world, not
just with poor and
illiterate people, but also with rich and well-read people who find more
economic and social benefits in using a LWC. This is unfortunate, but so far
nobody has been able to find a remedy, and just writing encyclopedias in
minority languages doesn't seem like a viable solution to the problem of
language attrition and death, although perhaps it helps to raise the
prestige a bit.
Not just encyclopedias, but books, dictionaries, even news sources.
All of that is inside of our job description. But not just that:
gathering active community around Wikimedia projects is almost the
ticket for language survival.