Counting the losses: numbers as the language of language endangerment
This paper provides a set of critical reflections on the use(s) of numbers to communicate facts about the changing dynamics of speech communities undergoing language shift. Such numerical representations are widespread, and they are of important in segments of language expertise. After a literature...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1558/sols.v4i1.1 https://journal.equinoxpub.com/SS/article/download/6880/8000 |
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crequinoxpubl:10.1558/sols.v4i1.1 2024-10-13T14:10:36+00:00 Counting the losses: numbers as the language of language endangerment Moore, Robert E Pietikäinen, Sari Blommaert, Jan 2010 http://dx.doi.org/10.1558/sols.v4i1.1 https://journal.equinoxpub.com/SS/article/download/6880/8000 unknown Equinox Publishing Sociolinguistic Studies volume 4, issue 1, page 1-26 ISSN 1750-8657 1750-8649 journal-article 2010 crequinoxpubl https://doi.org/10.1558/sols.v4i1.1 2024-09-19T04:10:05Z This paper provides a set of critical reflections on the use(s) of numbers to communicate facts about the changing dynamics of speech communities undergoing language shift. Such numerical representations are widespread, and they are of important in segments of language expertise. After a literature survey of counting practices, the paper focuses on three language-ideological decisions underpinning language counting: First, decisions need to be made as to who counts as a speaker. In discussions of language endangerment, speaker counts are the most important single index of the endangered character of the language. Secondly, in order to count the number of distinct languages in a region, country, or world area, decisions must be made which privilege a notion of languages as bounded, closed, and geographically fixed entities. Finally, decisions need to be made with respect to the domains in which “small,” endangered, or minority languages continue to be used. From the discussion of domains we develop an alternative vision that centers not on distinct, named, countable languages, but on speakers and repertoires, and on the actual resources that speakers deploy in actual contexts. The contemporary situation of speakers of indigenous Sami, African and Native American languages will be drawn upon for examples. Article in Journal/Newspaper sami Equinox Publishing Sociolinguistic Studies 4 1 1 26 |
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This paper provides a set of critical reflections on the use(s) of numbers to communicate facts about the changing dynamics of speech communities undergoing language shift. Such numerical representations are widespread, and they are of important in segments of language expertise. After a literature survey of counting practices, the paper focuses on three language-ideological decisions underpinning language counting: First, decisions need to be made as to who counts as a speaker. In discussions of language endangerment, speaker counts are the most important single index of the endangered character of the language. Secondly, in order to count the number of distinct languages in a region, country, or world area, decisions must be made which privilege a notion of languages as bounded, closed, and geographically fixed entities. Finally, decisions need to be made with respect to the domains in which “small,” endangered, or minority languages continue to be used. From the discussion of domains we develop an alternative vision that centers not on distinct, named, countable languages, but on speakers and repertoires, and on the actual resources that speakers deploy in actual contexts. The contemporary situation of speakers of indigenous Sami, African and Native American languages will be drawn upon for examples. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Moore, Robert E Pietikäinen, Sari Blommaert, Jan |
spellingShingle |
Moore, Robert E Pietikäinen, Sari Blommaert, Jan Counting the losses: numbers as the language of language endangerment |
author_facet |
Moore, Robert E Pietikäinen, Sari Blommaert, Jan |
author_sort |
Moore, Robert E |
title |
Counting the losses: numbers as the language of language endangerment |
title_short |
Counting the losses: numbers as the language of language endangerment |
title_full |
Counting the losses: numbers as the language of language endangerment |
title_fullStr |
Counting the losses: numbers as the language of language endangerment |
title_full_unstemmed |
Counting the losses: numbers as the language of language endangerment |
title_sort |
counting the losses: numbers as the language of language endangerment |
publisher |
Equinox Publishing |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1558/sols.v4i1.1 https://journal.equinoxpub.com/SS/article/download/6880/8000 |
genre |
sami |
genre_facet |
sami |
op_source |
Sociolinguistic Studies volume 4, issue 1, page 1-26 ISSN 1750-8657 1750-8649 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1558/sols.v4i1.1 |
container_title |
Sociolinguistic Studies |
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4 |
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1 |
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1 |
op_container_end_page |
26 |
_version_ |
1812817929097445376 |