A collaborative model for preparing indigenous curators of a heritage language

Abstract

Both linguists and native speakers of an endangered language have a vested interest in promoting language revitalization. Ultimately, primary responsibility for the future of the language rests in the hands of those who claim it as their heritage language. Still, linguists have an important role to play by lending various types of support to the primary stakeholders. By working together, native speakers and linguists can increase the chances that efforts at renewal and maintenance will succeed. Based on our experience with Chiwere Siouan, we offer a working model for language revitalization that recognizes the importance of collaboration between native-speaker curators of the language and outsider linguists. In this variant of the masterapprentice model (Hinton 1994), one or more speakers or semispeakers assume the role of curator, taking on the combined responsibilities of archivist, researcher, language learner, and teacher. In some cases, potential curators may be hampered in their efforts due to political, social, and/or financial factors. The linguist cannot remove these stumbling blocks but can offer moral support and positive feedback. In this collaborative relationship the linguist provides direction when it comes to technical matters related to documentation, analysis, and preparation of teaching materials. The curator takes the lead with respect to decisions regarding the selection, curation, and dissemination of language materials and also identifies culturally appropriate means of teaching the language to others. While this collaborative approach does not guarantee language revitalization, our ongoing experience with the model suggests that it holds promise.

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