“Saving indigenous languages is crucial to ensure the protection of the cultural identity and dignity of indigenous peoples and safeguard their traditional heritage ,” said Professor Megan Davis, Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. ... The importance of languages cannot be undervalued.
Why is it important to preserve indigenous languages?
For indigenous peoples, languages not only identify their origin or membership in a community, they also carry the ethical values of their ancestors – the indigenous knowledge systems that make them one with the land and are crucial to their survival and to the hopes and aspirations of their youth.
Why is it important to keep languages alive?
It is very important to keep one’s language alive i.e. preservation of the language so that it do not get unnoticed. Language is basically an important factor which help people communicating with their loved ones and express themselves in a better way.
Why do indigenous languages matter?
Indigenous languages are the entryway to Indigenous cultures , cosmovisions, philosophies and traditional knowledge; sustaining Indigenous languages is intrinsically tied to sustaining Earth’s biodiversity. COVID-19 has posed a serious threat to our elders and the vast knowledge they hold.
How are indigenous people keeping their language alive?
All over the world people are researching and finding ways to revitalize and preserve Indigenous languages. In Canada, some of these efforts include dictionaries, electronic device apps such as Ojibway People and Language App which contains more than 200 Ojibway words and phrases and recorded pronunciations.
Why is it important to protect & revitalize indigenous languages?
Language is the foundation of a culture. For Indigenous oral societies, words hold knowledge amassed for millennia . ... When a language dies so does the link to the cultural and historical past. Without that crucial connection to their linguistic and cultural history, people lose their sense of identity and belonging.
Why is protecting culture so important to indigenous peoples?
It is the basis of traditions, customs, protocols, values, spirituality, ceremonies, language, ways of knowing and being, and connections to the land and the life-sustaining resources of the land. Culture permeates all aspects of life and is essential to the overall well-being of Indigenous communities and individuals.
Why is it important to keep your first language?
Native language plays an essential role in establishing your identity . History and culture is inherent in language. Learning the native language signifies learning the same history and culture of your parents, relatives, and even the generations before and after.
Why is it important to keep your culture alive?
The importance of preserving heritage, tradition and race
Culture and its heritage reflect and shape values, beliefs, and aspirations, thereby defining a people’s national identity. It is important to preserve our cultural heritage, because it keeps our integrity as a people .
Why is first language important?
Research shows that having a strong foundation in a first language makes acquiring a second easier . Children who have a solid foundation in their mother tongue, develop better literacy skills in other languages that they subsequently learn.
Can extinct languages be revived?
A revived language is one that, having experienced near or complete language extinction as either a spoken or written language, has been intentionally revived and has regained some of its former status.
Why do languages matter?
Language helps us express our feelings and thoughts — this is unique to our species because it is a way to express unique ideas and customs within different cultures and societies. ... Language helps preserve cultures, but it also allows us to learn about others and spread ideas quickly.
What types of physical regions are indigenous languages most likely to survive?
B. Describe the types of physical regions where indigenous languages are most likely to survive. Indigenous languages survive in remote or disconnected areas including two or more of the following types of regions: forest, polar, mountain, valley, island, jungle, plateau, and/or savanna .
Why are indigenous languages dying?
The threat is the direct consequence of colonialism and colonial practices that resulted in the decimation of indigenous peoples, their cultures and languages. Through policies of assimilation, dispossession of lands, discriminatory laws and actions, indigenous languages in all regions face the threat of extinction.
Why is it important to protect endangered languages?
Recent studies have concluded that learning a second language is beneficial to general comprehension and attention span. However, by learning an endangered language, people could also help spread and promote cultures which are at risk of dying out entirely.
Why is language so important to Aboriginal culture?
‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait languages are not just a means of communication, they express knowledge about everything : law, geography, history, family and human relationships, philosophy, religion, anatomy, childcare, health, caring for country, astronomy, biology and food.
