Symposium on Teaching and Learning Indigenous Languages of Latin America

University Of Notre Dame, Notre Dame IN

Investigators

Abstract

The Kellogg Institute for International Studies will host the Symposium on Teaching and Learning Indigenous Languages of Latin America (STLILLA) at the University of Notre Dame from October 30 - November 2, 2011. STLILLA will be a major gathering of scholars from the United States and Latin America to disseminate research on diverse aspects of Latin American indigenous languages and cultures. Within this general framework, of particular importance is interdisciplinary research on Latin American indigenous languages that leads to the documentation and preservation of those that are most endangered. Documentation is critical to the preservation of indigenous languages in the Americas. Approximately half of the 6,000-7,000 human languages currently spoken worldwide are in imminent danger of extinction. Furthermore, the fact that fewer than 5% of the world's languages are even written. Sharing research and understanding the challenges faced by those who work to document, preserve, and revitalize Latin America's most endangered languages is critical to the preservation of indigenous languages in the region. STLILLA will promote a global dialogue by creating a forum where US academics can engage with Latin American and indigenous scholars. An important hallmark will be the significant presence of Latin American and especially indigenous scholars, a rare occurrence in US academic settings. Therefore, the conference will open new avenues of cooperation between native speakers and non-native speakers of Latin American indigenous languages. By convening such a broad spectrum of participants, STLILLA will allow people who often work in isolation from each other to compare their approaches to documenting and revitalizing endangered languages. By way of giving this research some permanence and impact, the conference will also focus on the creation of pedagogical materials from language documentation. This conference will, therefore, be making a significant contribution to preserving the languages and cultures of various indigenous groups, who are among the most underrepresented peoples in our hemisphere.