- "Language revitalization, also referred to as language revival or reversing language shift, is an attempt to halt or reverse the decline of a language or to revive an extinct one."
This topic addresses efforts to revitalize and promote the use of Creole languages in communities where they have been marginalized or endangered.
Creole language history: Understanding the origins and development of Creole languages is crucial to a proper understanding of Creole language revitalization efforts.
Linguistics of Creole languages: The study of Creole phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics, which provide a foundation for language revitalization work.
Current language endangerment status and revitalization efforts: Understanding the current state of Creole languages globally, and the different types of language endangerment, is critical in plotting language revitalization strategies.
Importance of linguistic diversity: A study of the sociolinguistic and cultural significance of Creole languages and the benefits that come with language diversity.
Motivations for revitalizing Creole languages: Identifying reasons why communities would seek to revitalize their Creole language, and the possible benefits of language revival.
Methods for revitalizing Creole languages: Identifying and evaluating effective language revitalization strategies.
Language documentation techniques: A survey of methods for documenting Creole languages, including recording, transcribing, and archiving.
Advocacy and community involvement: A critical discussion of the role of community engagement in language revitalization and how to engage community members to take ownership of the revitalization process.
Challenges facing Creole language revitalization: Identifying the challenges and obstacles that may arise during the process of Creole language revitalization.
The role of technology in Creole language revitalization: An overview of the potential benefits of using technology in documenting and revitalizing Creole languages.
Policy and legal frameworks for Creole language revitalization: An introduction to policy frameworks for language revitalization and legal frameworks that support the promotion and protection of Creole languages.
Funding for Creole language revitalization: An overview of funding sources available for Creole language revitalization and strategies for securing financial support.
Monitoring and evaluation of Creole language revitalization efforts: Introduction of tools and methodologies for evaluating the effectiveness of Creole language revitalization efforts.
Collaboration and partnerships in Creole language revitalization: Understanding the importance of partnerships in effective language revitalization work.
Language Maintenance: This is the most common form of Creole language revitalization, in which the language is supported by speakers and learners to ensure its survival.
Language Revival: In this strategy, the language is brought back to life after being dormant or extinct through the efforts of activists, linguists, and other supporters.
Language Preservation: This strategy emphasizes the need to maintain the language in its written and spoken forms. This can be done by recording and documenting the language, creating literature and educational resources.
Language Documentation: Language documentation involves the systematic recording of the language, which can be used as a resource for future learners and researchers.
Language-In-Education: This strategy involves the use of the Creole language as a medium of instruction in schools and universities.
Language Promotion: This strategy involves promoting the use of the language in various social settings, such as media, entertainment, and public events.
Language Standardization: Standardization refers to the creation of a normative form of the language, which can be used as a basis for teaching and learning.
Language Planning: Language planning refers to the process of creating policies and frameworks for promoting the language in society.
Cultural Revitalization: This strategy involves promoting and preserving the cultural practices, customs, and traditions associated with the language.
Language Revitalization through Literature: This strategy involves the creation of written works in the language, which can be used to promote the language and its cultural heritage.
Language Revitalization through Music and Performing Arts: This strategy involves the use of music and performing arts to promote and preserve the language and its cultural heritage.
Language Revitalization through Digital Technologies: This strategy involves the use of digital media and technologies to promote and support the language and its cultural heritage.
- "Those involved can include linguists, cultural or community groups, or governments."
- "Some argue for a distinction between language revival (the resurrection of an extinct language with no existing native speakers) and language revitalization (the rescue of a 'dying' language)."
- "There has only been one successful instance of a complete language revival, the Hebrew language, creating a new generation of native speakers without any pre-existing native speakers as a model."
- "Languages targeted for language revitalization include those whose use and prominence is severely limited."
- "Sometimes various tactics of language revitalization can even be used to try to revive extinct languages."
- "Though the goals of language revitalization vary greatly from case to case, they typically involve attempting to expand the number of speakers and use of a language, or trying to maintain the current level of use to protect the language from extinction or language death."
- "Reasons for revitalization vary: they can include physical danger affecting those whose language is dying, economic danger such as the exploitation of indigenous natural resources, political danger such as genocide, or cultural danger/assimilation."
- "In recent times alone, it is estimated that more than 2000 languages have already become extinct."
- "The UN estimates that more than half of the languages spoken today have fewer than 10,000 speakers."
- "The UN estimates that a quarter of the languages spoken today have fewer than 1,000 speakers."
- "...unless there are some efforts to maintain them, over the next hundred years, most of these will become extinct."
- "These figures [extinct and endangered languages] are often cited as reasons why language revitalization is necessary to preserve linguistic diversity."
- "Culture and identity are also frequently cited reasons for language revitalization when a language is perceived as a unique 'cultural treasure'."
- "Language revitalization is also closely tied to the linguistic field of language documentation."
- "In this field, linguists try to create a complete record of a language's grammar, vocabulary, and linguistic features."
- "This practice [language documentation] can often lead to more concern for the revitalization of a specific language on study."
- "Furthermore, the task of documentation is often taken on with the goal of revitalization in mind."
- "A community often sees language as a unique part of their culture, connecting them with their ancestors or with the land, making up an essential part of their history and self-image."
- "Language revitalization... typically involve[s] attempting to... protect the language from extinction or language death."