Here the author would like to take the Black English Vernacular (BEV) as an example. In the view of many Standard English experts, BEV is an insult and a destruction of the Standard one. BEV has so many rules that would be unacceptable in Standard English, such as the absence of the form of “be” and the double negative expression.
For example: They mine; You crazy
He don’t know nothing; I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. [11]
Black English has been taking a lot of bullets. However, its population does not lessen a little bit. Black English Vernacular is mostly spoken by the African Americans. They are the people with a sad history of agony, aside from this, strong sense of national and racial identity. They sympathize with each other, connect with each other, with the strong link of identity.
From such an example, we know the charisma of national identity. It also helps in the revitalization of endangered languages.
The strengthening of national identity raises one’s pride for his country, his willingness to let his mother tongue be heard. To achieve this, education on a country’s history, characteristic, specialty, culture, tradition, and legacy could all be taken into consideration. When the national pride is aroused, the natives would speak their languages courageously, with no need to hide or no intention to cling to English. Therefore, linguistic imperialism is subtly absolved and avoided. Likewise, endangered languages are being heard once again, with more guts and fewer doubt.
In sum, strengthening education on national identity, needless to say, is the most practical.
Linguistic nationalism has been implemented by some nations against linguistic imperialism. To prevent their language being ruined by English, France even made laws banning the use of English words in official publications, unless French is in short of words for certain concepts.
Another example is India. When India obtained its independence from Britain in 1947, bloody conflicts flood street and people even died because of language. Hindi or English was battled, and could not be the mono-lingua in India. People fought and died, and ultimately, 19 languages were preserved and spoken in India. Linguistic nationalism may come with war, but end with peace.
In quotation eight we know that the linguistic imperialist----English promoter used to shame other languages as evil, dirty, and inferior to English. They broke natives’ spirit and mind rather than merely body to bury a language. If ever we are determined to save a language, firstly, national pride and confidence must be rebuild. To help natives believe that their language is by no means inferior to any others is a priority. With regained patriotism and pride, national identity is strengthened, so is the native languages.
However, this step should be adopted with caution. Linguistic Nationalism, if left unchecked and is in rampant growth, ultimately, will lead to national exclusiveness and even hatred among nations. Linguistic nationalism should be handled with grace, for itself, and respect, for others.
Educations on languages and national identity have already been discussed. Besides the two, we need more supplement actions.
4.1.2 Dictionary Compiling
In book market, dictionaries about Old-English, Middle-English are plenty. When scholars are doing research on anthropology, archaeology or literary study, they consult to dictionary and specialist’s textbooks. That’s also why to understand wedge writing is possible.
To adopt the same approach of compiling dictionaries, languages would not be buried in grave, at least, with evidence for its once existence.
Also, in linguistics, by taking notes and recording research, linguists find cognates in language families. With the same method can we record languages in human history, instead of watching it die.
In the 18th century, grammar books in English and dictionaries are brought into existence. It is said that because the middle-class English speakers faced with a language that was being Latinized, so dictionaries were compiled for insecurity. As it turns out, English once faced with crisis and survived it with dictionaries.
There is another example. The Yuchis are one of the least known yet most distinctive of the Native groups in the American southeast located in late prehistoric times in eastern Tennessee. Yuchi, was advised by linguist to develop a dictionary in order to save the language. However, problem comes. There actually are few fluent speakers. Even with dictionary, Yuchi cannot be viewed as a survived language. For the reason that: whether the language survives or not is determined by its speakers’ fluency. Therefore, to save Yuchi, we also need to cultivate many fluent native speakers. Language revitalization needs more.
Then how do we cultivate fluent speakers?
4.1.3 Tape Recording
We have already known that, speech and writing are two forms of language. If we have only dictionaries, the writing form but without speech, the saved language is not complete. Hence, tape recording is in need to preserve the oral form. By tape recording the speech of the elders of an endangered language, we at least could have a record and rehear the dying language.
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