FYI: Endangered Languages Page

Author:

Martha Ratliff

FYI Body:

[Moderators' Note: LINGUIST is very pleased to be able to hos
the Endangered Languages homepage described below. This
worthwhile initiative was proposed by Martha Ratliff and the LSA
Committee on Endangered Languages; and it will be maintained by
volunteer "curators." If you have the needed expertise, we urge you
to volunteer. This homepage is likely to be a highly valuable
resource for the linguistics community. ]

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A new Endangered Languages homepage on LINGUIST will bring
together materials on the study of endangered languages to serve
the needs of both the linguistic profession and communities
interested in language revitalization or maintenance programs. As
a start, the following pages (with appropriate links) are proposed:

(1) national and international professional/service organizations
involved in the endangered language documentation and
revitalization effort;

(2) community organizations which are working to preserve their
own languages;

(3) "linguist wanted" ads; a list of communities and linguists in the
field needing technical assistance (this page will be run by Megan
Crowhurst);

(4) an archive of on-line discussions and on-line conferences on
ELs;

(5) programs of (traditional) conferences on ELs, and calls for
papers;

(6) notices and reviews of books and journals on ELs and linguistic
fieldwork;

(7) information about and reviews of fieldwork tools such as
software and questionnaires;

(8) information on linguistics departments with a specialty in
training fieldworkers (and which accept "Grammar of X"-type
dissertations) and information on short-term training programs;

(9) pedagogical materials for fieldwork courses and other courses
on linguistic diversity;

(10) funding opportunities for fieldwork projects;

(11) a list of people to contact who are currently working on
particular languages/groups of languages, with their permission.
(Alana Johns is building a page which will include 5-page
descriptions of projects in progress authored by differen
fieldworkers which can be linked to this page.)

Interested linguists are invited to volunteer as the "curator" of any of
these proposed pages (except #5 above, which has been claimed).

Suggestions for additional pages are also welcome.

Please contact Martha Ratliff <martha_ratliff@wayne.edu>.

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