Workshop: Assessing and Documenting the Vitality of Native American Languages

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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.