Since at least 2008, Our Languages has been providing resources for aboriginal languages in Australia and the Torres Strait. Funded by the Australian government, Our Languages has a blog, language lists by region and much more information.
One of the great resources is the Community Language Programs page, where you can search for a language program. Because there are many different types of programs, help is provided in understanding them. the Types of Programs page describes six different types:
- Second language learning – teaching as a second language, along the lines of taking Spanish or Latin in high school
- Revival – aiming to get community members speaking again. There are three subtypes:
- Language revitalization – when the older generation still speaks the language
- Language renewal – when there are no speakers with a full range of language knowledge
- Language reclamation – when there are no full or partial speakers. Records must be consulted to begin.
- Maintenance – working to decrease pressure against a language and increase pride
- Recording – oral documentation of a language
- Awareness – educating the community in general about the importance of language
- Bilingual- building language skills and knowledge in two languages
One of the other great pages on the Our Languages site is the Resources page. One of the links there is for “Aboriginal Placenames: Naming and re-naming the Australian landscape” from the Australian National University E Press and edited by Harold Koch and Luise Hercus. The book can be downloaded free of charge as a PDF.
6 April 2011 at 22:03 |
[...] Since at least 2008, Our Languages has been providing resources for aboriginal languages in Australia and the Torres Strait. Funded by the Australian government, Our Languages has a blog, language lists by region and much more information. One of the great resources is the Community Language Programs page, where you can search for a language […] [...]