On reviving dormant languages

Lovely, long, fascinating, thought-provoking article about languages going dormant/extinct, and languages being revived, and colonialism, and more, from a Marxist or at least Leftist perspective: “Salvaging the Dormant: On Language,” by Sarah Grey.

Includes discussion of updating languages for modern use; of appropriate terminology around the death or dormancy of languages; of forcing Native American kids into English-only schools; of attempts to revive various Native American languages; of Modern Hebrew; of Tamil; of Quechua; of the ethical responsibilities of linguists; and of the standardization that often comes with attempts to preserve a language. Among other things.

(Via KTO.)

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