http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=316 A Blog about Words and Language(s) from alphaDictionary.com Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:00:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.6 http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=316&cpage=1#comment-145850 Skinem Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:23:48 +0000 http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=316#comment-145850 I agree with your article and that attempts to prevent the deaths of language are futile. However, I understand the dislike and sadness of their passing. As a young man I lived on and near the Yakima Indian Reservation Washington State. During the mid and late '70s I believe there were still between 15-20 dialects still actively spoken on the rez. The last figures I saw (roughly 5 years ago) was that there were only 7 different dialects still spoken with the majority of those expected to disappear within 10 years. To many of the older people on the rez this is tragic in the sense that one of the purely identifying characteristics of them as a people is disappearing. The a losing a strong link to their past and heritage. I applaud the efforts made to record the languages before they disappear. I agree with your article and that attempts to prevent the deaths of language are futile.
However, I understand the dislike and sadness of their passing.
As a young man I lived on and near the Yakima Indian Reservation Washington State. During the mid and late ’70s I believe there were still between 15-20 dialects still actively spoken on the rez. The last figures I saw (roughly 5 years ago) was that there were only 7 different dialects still spoken with the majority of those expected to disappear within 10 years.
To many of the older people on the rez this is tragic in the sense that one of the purely identifying characteristics of them as a people is disappearing. The a losing a strong link to their past and heritage.
I applaud the efforts made to record the languages before they disappear.

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