Verified Document

World's Small Languages Be Saved" Term Paper

In the distance lay the ruined Maya city of Palenque, where the glyphs that speak of the reign of the great lord Pacal are carved in stone. The glyphs can be deciphered now. Perhaps. Only perhaps, for no one knows what words were spoken, what sounds were made when Pacal the Conqueror reigned. It may seem cryptic or even Socratic to say, but, in truth, only spoken words can be heard. There are nine different words in Maya for the color blue in the comprehensive Porrua Spanish-Maya Dictionary but just three Spanish translations, leaving six butterflies that can be seen only by the Maya, proving beyond doubt that when a language dies six butterflies disappear from the consciousness of the earth." (p. 43) Nancy Bonvillian in her book Culture Language and Communication also talks about diversity and how it contributes to language growth in general. Shorris and Bonvillian appear to agree with the notion that small languages are extremely vital for the overall development of language because it appears that our languages are shrinking today. As we mentioned earlier that Shorris found English languages to be losing words, this is what Nancy Bonvillain appears to imply in her chapter on diversity in languages. But their survival is important, the prognoses are not very optimistic. One writer says, "...languages are being murdered today...

Even the most optimistic prognoses claim that only half of today's 6,000-7,000 spoken languages will exist by 2100. The media and educational systems are the most important direct agents in language murder today." (Skutnabb-Kangas, 2001)
Globalization is widely cited as the most important reason small languages are dying out. Some believe that they fade into oblivion because local communities and educators do not stress the significance of keeping indigenous languages alive. Youth is the vehicle through which languages can be kept alive and transferred to the next generation but it appears that most young adults are not really interested in preserving local languages or culture. Due to vast exposure, they have come under the spell of stronger languages and culture which is the primary reason we fail to notice the beauty and richness of local languages.

References

Shorris, Earl. "The Last Word: Can the World's Small Languages Be Saved?" Harper's Magazine (August 2000): 35-43.

Bonvillain, Nancy. Language, Culture and Communication; Prentice Hall, 1999

Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, Murder that is a threat to survival, Guradian Weekly, (March 22, 2001) Also available on the web at http://www.onestopenglish.com/Culture/global/murder.htm

Sources used in this document:
References

Shorris, Earl. "The Last Word: Can the World's Small Languages Be Saved?" Harper's Magazine (August 2000): 35-43.

Bonvillain, Nancy. Language, Culture and Communication; Prentice Hall, 1999

Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, Murder that is a threat to survival, Guradian Weekly, (March 22, 2001) Also available on the web at http://www.onestopenglish.com/Culture/global/murder.htm
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Small Computer Systems Proposed Research
Words: 4808 Length: 15 Document Type: Term Paper

According to Paul B. Mckimmy (2003), "The first consideration of wireless technology is bandwidth. 802.11b (one of four existing wireless Ethernet standards) is currently the most available and affordable specification. It allows a maximum of 11 megabits per second (Mbps)" (p. 111); the author adds that wired Ethernet LANs are typically 10 or 100 Mbps. In 1997, when the IEEE 802.11 standard was first ratified, wireless LANs were incompatible and

World Is Flat: A Brief
Words: 2218 Length: 7 Document Type: Book Report

Friedman considers insourcing to be flattener number eight, because it allows small companies to compete like major supply-chain companies. Insourcing refers to hiring another company to handle a company's supply chain. UPS is the major supplier for insourcing services in the United States. Friedman believes that insourcing flattens in three ways: by letting little companies compete in the global market; by dissolving barriers between companies; and by standardizing business

Study of George Orwell's Politics and the English Language
Words: 1219 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

Politics and English Language POLITICS AND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE George Orwell in his essay 'Politics and the English Language' discusses the flaws and degeneration of English language. He believes that since the language is clearly losing its focus and direction, it is rapidly becoming unclear and vague giving rise to literary pieces that make little or no sense at all. Many people share Orwell's observation and feel that for some odd reason,

Shape and to Create Our Modern World
Words: 1799 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

shape and to create our modern world? The modern world was shaped by a range of events and powerful people. One of the first most influential people was Clovis. Clovis was the founder of the Merovingian dynasty of Frankish kings, and one who defeated the Roman rule in Gaul along with defeating a range of Germanic people, creating the kingdom that is known as France nowadays. Most notably, it was

Ways to Improve Language
Words: 3384 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Paper

Grammar Error Correction Grammar Correction Best Practices The art and science of grammar correction has seismic implications on native and new speakers to English alike. The ability to communicate in a clear and cohesive fashion, both verbally and in writing, whilst using the proper syntax, punctuation, sentence structure and spelling is vital for the message to be clear. Further, it is seen as a sign of intelligence or lack thereof for someone

Sports World Cup: Unifying the
Words: 6706 Length: 20 Document Type: Research Paper

It's well-known that soccer, like religion, can provoke violence like hooliganism and tramplings at overcrowded, large stadiums, and this is what many Americans assume it is all about. "But soccer has also proved unique in its ability to bridge differences and overturn national prejudices. The fact that the World Cup could even take place in South Korea and in Japan, as it did in 2002, was a victory for tolerance

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now