Why Indigenous Languages Matter and What We Can Do to Save Them | Lindsay Morcom | TEDxQueensU

Summary

The video script discusses the richness of indigenous languages in North America, highlighting their unique ways of categorizing the world. It emphasizes the importance of language in connecting with ancestry and culture, using Anishinaabemowin as an example of a polysynthetic language with color categorization and animate/inanimate marking. The script also addresses the endangerment of these languages due to historical attempts at cultural genocide, such as the residential school system. It calls for policy support, education, and mutual understanding to ensure the survival and continuation of indigenous languages and cultures for future generations.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The indigenous languages of North America are incredibly diverse, with 290 currently spoken languages across 57 language families and 28 language isolates.
• 👵 Indigenous languages are deeply connected to heritage, family, community, and culture, providing a unique perspective on the world.
• 🔤 Anishinaabemowin, like many indigenous languages, is polysynthetic, allowing complex ideas to be expressed in single words composed of morphemes.
• 🌈 Language shapes perception; different languages categorize colors uniquely, reflecting how speakers see and understand the world around them.
• 📚 The animate/inanimate marking in languages like Anishinaabemowin reveals cultural attitudes and relationships with the environment.
• 🚨 Indigenous languages are endangered, with many facing extinction due to historical and ongoing efforts to suppress and eliminate them.
• 🏫 The residential school system in Canada aimed to assimilate indigenous children, causing lasting harm and contributing to the endangerment of indigenous languages.
• 🌱 Despite challenges, there are successful revitalization efforts, such as the self-government agreement leading to the resurgence of the Nigma Magma language.
• 📖 Education plays a critical role in language preservation, with calls for policy support, funding, and the integration of indigenous languages into formal and informal education.
• 🤝 Reconciliation must include the survival and continuation of indigenous languages and cultures; otherwise, it risks being assimilation rather than true reconciliation.

Q & A

How many unique indigenous languages are currently spoken in North America?

There are 290 currently spoken indigenous languages in North America.

What is the significance of language for a person of indigenous heritage?

Language allows a person of indigenous heritage to see the world through their cultural lens, connect with their family, ancestors, community, and culture, and consider how to pass this heritage on to future generations.

What is the linguistic feature of Anishinaabemowin that allows for the creation of long words?

Anishinaabemowin is a polysynthetic language, which means it can create very long words by combining many morphemes, the smallest meaningful units of language.

How does the categorization of colors differ across languages, using the example from the script?

Different languages categorize colors in various ways. For example, Russian speakers might see two different shades of green as distinct colors, while Anishinaabemowin speakers might categorize both green and blue as 'osha wash quoi' or 'osha wash kuzia', meaning either green or blue.

What is the concept of 'animate/inanimate marking' in Anishinaabemowin and its significance?

Animate/inanimate marking in Anishinaabemowin is a grammatical feature where all words are marked as either animate or inanimate. This reflects the language's worldview, where certain objects like rocks are considered animate, indicating a deep connection to the natural world.

Why are indigenous languages in North America considered endangered or vulnerable?

Indigenous languages are endangered or vulnerable due to historical and ongoing efforts to assimilate indigenous peoples, including policies and practices that suppress the use and transmission of these languages, such as the residential school system.

What was the role of Duncan Campbell Scott in the history of indigenous languages in Canada?

Duncan Campbell Scott was an architect of the residential school system in Canada, which aimed to assimilate indigenous children into the dominant culture by eliminating their language and culture.

What is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) and its significance?

The TRC was established as part of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement to document the experiences of residential school survivors and provide a path forward for reconciliation. It identified the residential school system as a form of cultural genocide.

What are the 94 Calls to Action from the TRC, and how do they relate to indigenous languages and culture?

The 94 Calls to Action from the TRC include recommendations for education, language preservation, and cultural revitalization to address the legacy of residential schools and promote the survival and continuation of indigenous languages and cultures.

How does the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples support indigenous languages?

The declaration affirms the right of indigenous peoples to establish and control their own education systems and institutions, including the right to provide education in their own languages, which is crucial for the preservation and promotion of indigenous languages.

What steps can be taken to ensure the survival of indigenous languages beyond the current generation?

To ensure the survival of indigenous languages, steps include policy changes with funding for language education, community-based language revitalization efforts, immersion programs, and education for non-indigenous populations to foster mutual understanding and support.