Stories about Languages from November, 2011
Languages: Online Activism To Save Chakma Language
The Chakma language is an Indo-European language spoken by approx. 310,000 people in southeast Bangladesh and another 300,000 in India in the Eastern parts of India. It is written using the Chakma script which is dying because many Chakmas do not have the opportunity to learn their language in schools. But Chakma people are using social media and web technologies to preserve and spread their language.
Languages: Promoting Indigenous African Language Films
An effective way to preserve indigenous languages and save them from total extinction is to encourage the production of indigenous language films. The 5th Festival of Indigenous African Language Films was held from 2-5 October 2011, in Akure, Nigeria. Making of films in indigenous languages will expand the coding, documentation, and communicative capacities of the languages and link African diaspora to their roots.
Languages: Conversations in Cherokee with a Wolf
He is a wolf puppet named ᏩᏯ and he plays a starring role in a series of YouTube videos designed to find a fun way to encourage the use of the Cherokee language and to share the culture through communication.
Under-Represented Languages Dialogue Underway
The online dialogue “Using Citizen Media Tools to Promote Under-Represented Languages” is currently underway and will last through November 22. This week-long event hosted by New Tactics, Indigenous Tweets, and Rising Voices allows for dialogue about personal experiences and strategies in ensuring that their language is better represented online.
Languages: Preview of Online Dialogue on Global Voices Podcast
In the November episode of the Global Voices podcast, the topic of discussion focused on the use of languages that are hard to find on the internet. The podcast also previewed the online dialogue “Using Citizen Media Tools to Promote Under-Represented Languages” that Rising Voices is co-organizing beginning on November 16.
Languages: Acting for Nishnaabe Revitalization
Barbara Nolan loves to put her acting skills to good use as a way to develop more speakers of the Nishnaabe language. As a central focus of her efforts, Barbara and John Paul Montano produce short immersion-style dramatic videos complete with costumes, sound effects, and sets, which can be found on her YouTube channel.
Languages: Let's Tweet and Speak in Quechua
Those wanting to learn the Quechua language now have the option of receiving daily tweets with vocabulary lessons and quizzes. The Twitter account @hablemosquechua or "Let's Speak Quechua" has been developed by a team at the Escuela Lab in Lima, Peru to reach interested learners of this Andean indigenous language.
