Understanding the Issue
Understanding the Issue
Languages at Risk
Lakȟótiyapi and all other Native American languages in the United States are in the middle of a deadly crisis that has been unfolding for the last 400 years. The last generation of first language speakers are now in their 70s and the language has not been passed down to the next generations since the mid-1950s.
We are in a race against time to help develop a new generation of speakers while there are still first language speakers available.
Languages at Risk
Lakȟótiyapi and all other Native American languages in the United States are in the middle of a deadly crisis that has been unfolding for the last 400 years. The last generation of first language speakers are now in their 70s and the language has not been passed down to the next generations since the mid-1950s.
We are in a race against time to help develop a new generation of speakers while there are still first language speakers available.
What is language loss?
The loss of Indigenous languages is a world-wide issue. Work to preserve Native languages is happening in Australia, Indonesia, South America, and Africa to name but a few areas where this work is vital. In the United States, the danger to Native languages is an immediate crisis that has been building since the first European settlers entered the New World.
Native languages are important for the same reasons language is important to any group. Language is a fundamental human right of expression – a right that arises out of thousands of years of linguistic cultivation, wherein each generation carefully passes its language on to the next. In doing so, generations transmit the culture through things like prayers, stories, songs, values, sayings, proverbs, and metaphors to each subsequent generation. Thus, each nation uses language to embed ideas of culture, history, philosophy and belief. Language is ultimately the core expression of a people’s existence.
Native languages are all linguistically and semantically unique. A great many ideas can only be accurately expressed in one language and not another, and this is very much the case with Lakȟótiyapi.
What is language loss?
The loss of Indigenous languages is a world-wide issue. Work to preserve Native languages is happening in Australia, Indonesia, South America, and Africa to name but a few areas where this work is vital. In the United States, the danger to Native languages is an immediate crisis that has been building since the first European settlers entered the New World.
Native languages are important for the same reasons language is important to any group. Language is a fundamental human right of expression – a right that arises out of thousands of years of linguistic cultivation, wherein each generation carefully passes its language on to the next. In doing so, generations transmit the culture through things like prayers, stories, songs, values, sayings, proverbs, and metaphors to each subsequent generation. Thus, each nation uses language to embed ideas of culture, history, philosophy and belief. Language is ultimately the core expression of a people’s existence.
Native languages are all linguistically and semantically unique. A great many ideas can only be accurately expressed in one language and not another, and this is very much the case with Lakȟótiyapi.
Why save Lakota?
In the United States, less than 100 out of more than 500 Native American languages are still spoken. The majority of these are at extreme risk of being lost. Seventy-four are almost extinct, with only a handful of elderly speakers. Fifty-eight have fewer than 1,000 speakers. Lakota falls in the top 5% of the surviving languages, as one of only 8 Native American languages with over 5,000 speakers. Lakota can and must be preserved.
Language is the keystone of mutual recognition and commonality. Each language expresses a mindset that is, in the end, unique to the community that speaks it. Linguist Marian Mithun of the University of California at Santa Barbara accurately states that:
“The loss of languages is tragic precisely because they are not interchangeable, precisely because they represent the distillation of the thoughts and communication of a people.”
Novelist Russell Hoban once commented in an interview that:
“Language is an archaeological vehicle, full of the remnants of dead and living pasts… The language we speak is a whole palimpsest of human effort and history.”
With the loss of a language goes the loss of history, and more. Jorge Luis Borges describes that absence poetically:
“You will never recapture what the Persian Said in his language woven with birds and roses, When, in the sunset, before the light disperses, You wish to give words to unforgettable things.”
All languages have their own traits, and so in turn does their loss. According to several scholars, the loss of Lakota would mean the loss of a certain way of looking at the world.
Why save Lakota?
In the United States, less than 100 out of more than 500 Native American languages are still spoken. The majority of these are at extreme risk of being lost. Seventy-four are almost extinct, with only a handful of elderly speakers. Fifty-eight have fewer than 1,000 speakers. Lakota falls in the top 5% of the surviving languages, as one of only 8 Native American languages with over 5,000 speakers. Lakota can and must be preserved.
Language is the keystone of mutual recognition and commonality. Each language expresses a mindset that is, in the end, unique to the community that speaks it. Linguist Marian Mithun of the University of California at Santa Barbara accurately states that:
“The loss of languages is tragic precisely because they are not interchangeable, precisely because they represent the distillation of the thoughts and communication of a people.”
Novelist Russell Hoban once commented in an interview that:
“Language is an archaeological vehicle, full of the remnants of dead and living pasts… The language we speak is a whole palimpsest of human effort and history.”
With the loss of a language goes the loss of history, and more. Jorge Luis Borges describes that absence poetically:
“You will never recapture what the Persian Said in his language woven with birds and roses, When, in the sunset, before the light disperses, You wish to give words to unforgettable things.”
All languages have their own traits, and so in turn does their loss. According to several scholars, the loss of Lakota would mean the loss of a certain way of looking at the world.
What makes Lakota special?
Lakȟótiyapi is unique from languages like English because of the intimate way it is tied to the pre-reservation world. This world was closely associated with living in small groups, being close to nature, traveling a good deal across large areas, and having a rich spiritual life.
Lakota cultural attributes are reflected in the language. For example, Lakȟótiyapi is rich in ways to describe the many subtle aspects of social behavior revolving around areas of feigning interest, pouting, courting, and many others. Moreover, in Lakota, nature is used as the primary source for metaphors. Physical appearance is often tied to nature. For example, someone could be “skinny as a crane,” or “ragged as a turtle.” Lakȟótiyapi is also very good at emphasizing the finer attributes of travel. A person can be considered to be coming or going to or from specific places in many levels of detail. Lakota greetings themselves reflect this tendency, wherein English “welcome” in Lakota is literally “Good that you came,” and “goodbye,” is “travel well.” The language also closely links the land to the people through geographical names and stories.
Lakota philosophical and spiritual concepts often tie together these realms. A word like woímnayankel, expresses notions of awe, humility, and interconnectedness. A Lakota speaker might use this when describing the experience of the northern lights (aurora borealis). The word expresses the humility that a person feels when confronted by the awesomeness of nature while also feeling intimately connected with it.
What makes Lakota special?
Lakȟótiyapi is unique from languages like English because of the intimate way it is tied to the pre-reservation world. This world was closely associated with living in small groups, being close to nature, traveling a good deal across large areas, and having a rich spiritual life.
Lakota cultural attributes are reflected in the language. For example, Lakȟótiyapi is rich in ways to describe the many subtle aspects of social behavior revolving around areas of feigning interest, pouting, courting, and many others. Moreover, in Lakota, nature is used as the primary source for metaphors. Physical appearance is often tied to nature. For example, someone could be “skinny as a crane,” or “ragged as a turtle.” Lakȟótiyapi is also very good at emphasizing the finer attributes of travel. A person can be considered to be coming or going to or from specific places in many levels of detail. Lakota greetings themselves reflect this tendency, wherein English “welcome” in Lakota is literally “Good that you came,” and “goodbye,” is “travel well.” The language also closely links the land to the people through geographical names and stories.
Lakota philosophical and spiritual concepts often tie together these realms. A word like woímnayankel, expresses notions of awe, humility, and interconnectedness. A Lakota speaker might use this when describing the experience of the northern lights (aurora borealis). The word expresses the humility that a person feels when confronted by the awesomeness of nature while also feeling intimately connected with it.
What is being done?
The LLC language revitalization strategy focuses on creating a new generation of Lakota speakers. The initiative utilizes the existing large network of Lakota schools, preschools and day care centers to educate children from an early age in Lakota as a second language. LLC also works with tribal leaders, government organizations, and charitable foundations to achieve its mission.
The Lakota language preservation movement grows larger every year. That growing momentum cannot be attributed to LLC alone- it’s a community-wide effort; Tribes, schools, families, organizations all play an important role.
Lakȟótiyapi is everybody’s responsibility.
What is being done?
The LLC language revitalization strategy focuses on creating a new generation of Lakota speakers. The initiative utilizes the existing large network of Lakota schools, preschools and day care centers to educate children from an early age in Lakota as a second language. LLC also works with tribal leaders, government organizations, and charitable foundations to achieve its mission.
The Lakota language preservation movement grows larger every year. That growing momentum cannot be attributed to LLC alone- it’s a community-wide effort; Tribes, schools, families, organizations all play an important role.
Lakȟótiyapi is everybody’s responsibility.
What can you do?
Help us fund Lakota classroom materials so more Lakota youth and their families can access these materials. Our grants team works to find federal and private donations to make this work possible, but there is still an unmet need. If you have the means and desire, consider supporting these programs.
What can you do?
Help us fund Lakota classroom materials so more Lakota youth and their families can access these materials. Our grants team works to find federal and private donations to make this work possible, but there is still an unmet need. If you have the means and desire, consider supporting these programs.
