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What’s Gained in Endangered Language Documentation?: The Chaco Project: 

What’s Gained in Endangered Language Documentation?: The Chaco Project Lyle Campbell University of Utah

Slide2: 

Goal: show from a specific instance what we get out of doing endangered language documentation. Case study: Language documentation project: Chulupí [Nivaclé, Ashlushlay], Chorote, and Wichí (Matacoan, N Argentina & Paraguay). Support: Endangered Languages Documentation Programme (Rausing Fund, SOAS, NEH grant; PIs: Lyle Campbell [Utah]), Verónica Grondona [EMU]). Some findings compellingly exemplify why we document endangered languages.

Unique structural elements: 

Unique structural elements Chulupí /kl/, hitherto unknown speech sound, simultaneously articulated & released velar + lateral) Chulupí phonemic inventory p t ts c& k [q] / p’ t’ ts’ c&’ k’ [q’] ∏ s s& x [X] ¬ kl m n w y i u e o a A

Unique sounds (cont.): 

Unique sounds (cont.) Chulupí /kl/ -- a few examples: Aklax ‘rattlesnake’ (cascabel) ekle ‘parrot’ (loro) iklA/ ‘wood, tree’ ik’akle ‘handkerchief’ (pañuelo) kla/tsic& ‘maize, corn’ (maíz) klesa ‘knife’ klim ‘white’ klu/∏xi ‘sweet’

Interesting and Rare Structural Properties: 

Interesting and Rare Structural Properties Active-stative verb alignment: (event vs. state) Active (agentive/event) Inactive (state) xa-∏in ‘I kiss him/her’ tsi-∏in ‘he/she kisses me’ xa-xu/x ‘I bite it’ tsi-xu/x ‘he/she bites me’ xa-klAn ‘I kill it’ tsi-klAn ‘he/she kills me’ --------------------------------------------------------------- xa-wa∏ ‘I die’ tsi-/wat’ax ‘I was born’ xa-/waklic& ‘I walk’ tsi-ta∏akes ‘I know’ xa-kuma/x ‘I run’ tsi-tawAkl/ey ‘I forget’ xa- ‘agent, subject of event’, tsi- ‘object, subject of state’

Lexical properties & human knowledge:What’s lost when a language is lost?: 

Lexical properties & human knowledge: What’s lost when a language is lost? Words and practical knowledge, valuable for survival (from Chulupí, Argentina), arid environment: s&kletsex ‘cipoy’ [Jacaratia hassleriana] ‘a plant with bulky tuber, used for water when hunting/gathering in the bush; used on long journeys. It contains much liquid.’ tixoke c&ec&ens&am ‘a hole dug near the river with small channel to let water run into the hole; water in hole is allowed to stand so that mud and debris settle, for cleaner water to drink’.

Human knowledge:  Immeasurable scientific loss : 

Human knowledge: Immeasurable scientific loss Loss of linguistic diversity means loss in the range of potential ways of experiencing / understanding the world. Languages contain or reflect the world’s knowledge and wisdom. When the language is not learned by the next generation, the knowledge of the natural and cultural world encoded in the language may also fail to be transmitted. Linguistic diversity relates to humankind’s survival. Reduction of language diversity diminishes the adaptive strength of the human species because it lowers the pool of knowledge from which we can draw.

Scientific Reasons (cont.): 

Scientific Reasons (cont.) Medicines: 75% of plant-derived pharmaceuticals were discovered by examining the use of these plants in traditional medicine, language of curers often played a key role. Chulupí medicine: asaktsuk ‘bola verde’ [Capparis salicifolia] for flu, toothache, worms iklAʔx ‘quebracho blanco’ [Aspidosperma quebracho] for fever, flu, dissentery, contraconceptive, abortive ninuk ‘sachasandía’ [Capparis speciosa] soaked root for pain, cough naʔpkutax ‘wild onion’ burned to a salt-like ash, for swelling of stomach, appendicitis tsanu/k ‘duraznillo’ [Ruprefschia triflora gris] root for diarrhea, dissentery, bite of the dorado fish.

General information about Misión La Paz: 

General information about Misión La Paz Northern Argentina, on the Pilcomayo River, just across the river from Paraguay, approximately 20 km from Bolivia Approximately 550 people. Very poor socioeconomic conditions. Fairly traditional life- style (fishing, gathering, weaving of “chagua”)

Language Situation & Language Choice in Misión La Paz: 

Language Situation & Language Choice in Misión La Paz 4 languages: Chorote Chulupí (a.k.a. Nivaclé, Ashlushlay) Wichí (a.k.a. Mataco) Spanish Linguistic exogamy: Marriage among speakers of different languages is very common, the rule for Chulupí and most Chorote.

Who speaks what to whom? Unique situation: 

Who speaks what to whom? Unique situation Speakers and hearers in conversations typically are not speaking the same language. People communicate regularly with speakers of different languages, but rarely in the same language = unlike other multilingual situations! Spouses are usually native speakers of different languages = each speaks his/her own language and is addressed in/understands the other’s language in return -- a spouse does not accommodate by speaking the other spouse’s language.

Youngest Son of Elitye and Anita: 

Youngest Son of Elitye and Anita Franco  Chorote Chulupí Wichí Español Valeriana Wichí Chorote Chulupí Español Wichí (spanish) ChoroteSpanish Franco to his mother & father (and everybody): Chorote His mother to Franco (and everybody): Chulupí Father to Valeriana, Franco, wife (everybody): Chorote Mother to Valeriana (and everyone): Chulupí Valeriana to Franco, everyone: Wichí

Lanaguge Choice situation Conclusion: 

Lanaguge Choice situation Conclusion It is also important to document unusual and unique situations of language choice and language use as we study endangered languages.

Chaco Areal Linguistics?: 

Chaco Areal Linguistics? Genitive classifier for domestic animals prefix denoting unpossessed forms plural and collective suffixes for trees and some plants VERY complex verb forms active-stative alignment prefixes marking person (similar in form) directional affixes, complex system many common morphosyntactic features in languages of the area Inheritance or diffusion/language contact?

Areal example : 

Areal example Animal possessive classifier: areal Chulupí -iklA/ ‘possessive animal classifier’ waka ‘cow’ y-iklA/ waka ‘my cow’ kuwayu ‘horse’ ¬-iklA/ kuwayu ‘his horse’ Chorote -kya ‘animal classifier’ si/yus ‘fish’ i-kya si/yus ‘my fish’ Mocoví (Guaicuruan) -ilo ‘animal classifier’ pyoG ‘dog’ i-lo pyoG ‘my dog’

The Community and Language Revitalization: 

The Community and Language Revitalization The good-news story in language revitalization is the community’s own drive. The community is undergoing many changes, and elders worry over language loss. A brief history for context.

Context: Back to the Future: 

Context: Back to the Future A limited history over 3 years. Year 1: bad road, limited electricity, uncertain water supply, ambulance broken, no telephone, no mail service; essentially only traditional Indian houses; long skirts. Year 2: 50 small yellow houses built, telephone, ambulance from Santa Victoria. Year 3: road much improved, 24-hour electricity, water (except sometimes), ambulance in town, new health center, fewer long skirts (more tight jeans); more expression of worry for the language, for traditions.

Recent history (cont.): 

Recent history (cont.) Impact of Spanish: From the older generation with nearly zero Spanish loans, and poor to no knowledge of Spanish (though with several individuals literate in Indian languages) to younger generation with more loans, loss of traditional vocabulary and oral traditions, to kids dominant in Spanish, to some kids in Tartagal and some regions who speak nothing but Spanish.

A brief history of our reception -- revitalization surprises: 

A brief history of our reception -- revitalization surprises The community itself has asked us to help in revitalization efforts. (1) Lay Anglican minister preached the importance of our work and of supporting us. (2) Julián and Asociana -- survey of adult reading in Chorote throughout the region. (3) Victor González, cacique, called a meeting of elders to sign documents of community support for our work and to ask for our help with language programs. (4) Director of the school asked us to help to develop materials for bilingual programs.

History & surprises (cont.): 

History & surprises (cont.) (5) Community asked us to develop education materials in the all 3 indigenous languages (though only 2 were supported by grant, and only for documentation, not other programs). (6) Misión La Paz leaders ask us to document Wichí. (7) Laureano Segovia -- 15 years of recordings of Wichí traditional stories, asked us to help archive and transcribe. Will continue. (8) Leaders of Chorote communities meeting: declaration of need for language programs. (9) Other Chorote communities asked us for help, teaching adults to read their native languages.

History & pleasant surprises (cont.): 

History & pleasant surprises (cont.) (10) La Paz language center: to train native speakers in transcription, reading and writing so they can go take the programs for children and adults to other communities of the region, whose leaders have also asked for our help; to provide adult learning programs for reading in the indigenous languages; to help to preserve their rich oral traditions and culture, and to work with community members dedicated to doing this.

Lessons for Revitalization?: 

Lessons for Revitalization? Lessons from the Misión La Paz experience for revitalization programs generally? Collaboration with native-speaker participants on documentation and materials preparation is important, necessary. (Outside linguists can’t do it all.) Grassroots initiatives can compensate for obstacles and ineffectiveness from official bureaucracies. Success requires community support, community decisions on programs they want; the community needs to have an active role.

Lessons for Revitalization (Cont.): 

Lessons for Revitalization (Cont.) (4) Practice our kraft gently, openly; influence by example. It takes TIME for the community to get to know us, trust us, and feel comfortable with our work and working with us. (5) It takes TIME, to train native speakers as co-team members, develop materials, design, print, evaluate materials,... it's a LONG-term project. (6) Success is possible (at least to certain extents in certain circumstances).

Conclusions: 

Conclusions Many discoveries await us in documenting endangered languages. Revitalization is possible. The Chaco languages offer a number of lessons for linguistics generally; they verify the value of studying endangered languages, both for scientific reasons and for community involvement in language revitalization. Much benefit to be had.