Workshop: Assessing and Documenting the Vitality of Native American Languages

美国国会于1990年通过的《美洲原住民语言法》承认了美洲原住民语言的独特地位和重要性。所有美洲原住民语言都濒临灭绝，尽管它们在“生命力”方面有很大差异，也就是说，谁，如何和在哪里使用这些语言。目前，美国本土语言及其生命力还没有系统的评估。该项目将通过一个讲习班和一个夏季课程，审查现有的评估工具和调查方法，目的是使参与者能够创造满足这一需要的新的和创新的评估工具。 参加者将是目前从事语言工作的美洲原住民，作为公民科学家，教育工作者，以及部落学院和大学的工作人员和学生。该项目有可能为国家和国际范围内的政策决定和执行提供信息。此外，它还将建立一批精通科学活动的土著公民科学家，包括研究规程、评估设计和使用、数据分析等。亚利桑那大学的美国印第安语言发展研究所（AILDI）已经是第四个十年了，它是美国原住民在描述语言学，语言文献和评估等方面的培训机构。通过这个试点项目，记录土著语言的活力，AILDI研究人员和讲习班的参与者将开始长期目标，为部落社区建立一个基层评估模型。在夏季课程中，参与者将学习数据收集、管理和归档方面的最佳做法，以及如何部署评估数据。参与者将来自亚利桑那州的八个部落语言和四个部落学院和大学，后者的参与将测试部落学院国家网络的可行性，以供未来评估。NSF部落学院和大学（TCUP）在EHR计划正在为部落学院参与该项目提供支持。评估语言活力和语言调查中的数据收集和分析是美洲土著社区语言文献和振兴项目的经验基石。重要的是，这种创新的方法对世界各地的濒危语言科学家和社区具有影响和潜在的效用。结果将在网上和印刷品中公布，以促进与广大受众的持续讨论。

The Native American Languages Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1990, enacted into policy the recognition of the unique status and importance of Native American languages. All Native American languages are endangered, although they vary considerably in terms of 'vitality,' that is, who, how and where the languages are in use. Currently, there is no systematic assessment of the Native American languages of the United States and their vitality. Through a workshop followed by a summer course, this project will review existing assessment tools and survey methodologies with the goal of enabling participants to create new and innovative assessment tools that address this need. Participants will Native Americans who are currently engaged in language work, as citizen scientists, educators, and staff and students at tribal colleges and universities. This project has the potential to inform policy decisions and implementations in national and international contexts. In addition, it will create a cohort of indigenous citizen scientists well-versed in scientific activities that include research protocols, assessment design and use, data analysis and more. The American Indian Language Development Institute (AILDI) at the University of Arizona is in its fourth decade serving as a training institute for Native Americans in descriptive linguistics, language documentation, and assessment and more. Through this pilot project, Documenting Native Language Vitality, AILDI researchers and workshop participants will begin the long term goal to create a model for grass-roots assessment for tribal communities. In the summer course, participants will learn best practices in data collection, management and archiving, as well as how to deploy assessment data. Participants will come from eight Arizona tribal language and four tribal colleges and universities, the latter of whose involvement will test the viability of the national network of tribal colleges for future assessments. The NSF Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUP) program in EHR is providing support for tribal college participation in this project. Assessing language vitality and the collection and analysis of data in language surveys are the empirical cornerstones for language documentation and revitalization projects in Native American communities. Importantly, this innovative approach has implications and potential utility for endangered language scientists and communities worldwide. Results will be published online and in print to promote an ongoing discussion with a wide audience.