Speak Not: Empire, Identity and the Politics of Language by James Griffiths
As globalisation continues languages are disappearing faster than ever, leaving our planet’s linguistic diversity leaping towards extinction. Despite that the science of how languages are acquired is becoming more advanced and the internet is bringing us new ways of teaching the next generation, it is increasingly challenging for minority languages to survive in the face of a handful of hegemonic ‘super-tongues’. In Speak Not: Empire, identity and the politics of language, Griffiths reports from the frontlines of the battle to preserve minority languages, from his native Wales, Hawaii and indigenous American nations, to southern China and Hong Kong. He will consider the revival of the Welsh language and propose it as a blueprint for how to ensure new generations are not robbed of their linguistic heritage; outline how loss of indigenous languages is the direct result of colonialism and globalisation; and examine how technology is both hindering and aiding the fight to prevent linguistic extinction. Introducing readers to compelling characters and examining how indigenous communities are fighting for their languages, Griffiths ultimately explores how languages hang on, what happens when they don’t, and how indigenous tongues can be preserved and brought back from the brink.
Categories: Science & Technology
