Colonisation, Globalisation, and the Future of Languages in the Twenty-first Century
This report examines the impact of colonization and globalization on language vitality, arguing that language shift and death are adaptive responses to socio-economic changes.
(Generated with the help of GPT-4)
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Report location: | source |
| Language: | English |
| Publisher: | unesco |
| Authors: | Salikoko S. Mufwene |
| Geographic focus: | Global |
Methods
The research method involves a critical analysis of academic discourse on language endangerment, a historical perspective on colonization, and an examination of the socio-economic factors influencing language vitality.
(Generated with the help of GPT-4)
Key Insights
The report critiques the anthropomorphic portrayal of languages in academic discourse, suggesting that languages are parasitic species dependent on their speakers' communicative behaviors. It discusses the effects of colonization and globalization on language vitality, emphasizing the need to understand socio-economic ecologies to explain language shift, attrition, endangerment, and death. The report also distinguishes between different colonization styles and their linguistic outcomes, and questions the effectiveness of linguists' efforts to preserve endangered languages without addressing the underlying socio-economic causes.
(Generated with the help of GPT-4)
Additional Viewpoints
Categories: English publication language | Global geographic scope | ancestral languages | colonization | european colonisation | futures | global economy | globalisation | globalization | indigenous languages | language death | language endangerment | language evolution | language preservation | language shift | language vitality | linguistic diversity | socio-economic ecology