Can We Save Endangered Languages?

28.10.22
“What Happens Next?”
Can We Save Endangered Languages? | 71

Soon after the first British ships arrived in Australia, Indigenous people were removed from their traditional lands and families, and were discouraged – often violently – from dancing, singing, or even speaking in their own languages.

In a new episode of Monash University’s podcast, “What Happens Next?”, Dr Susan Carland’s guests discuss how the languages of the most ancient continual civilisation on Earth are being preserved or revived in the face of tremendous odds.

Inala Cooper, Director of Murrup Barak, the Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development at the University of Melbourne, discusses the importance of language for young First Nations activists, and the ways new technologies are reintroducing local languages back to Australia.

Associate Professor Dr John Bradley, Acting Director of the Monash Indigenous Studies Centre, is a co-creator of Wunungu Awara, an interdisciplinary effort to preserve First Nations stories, songs and cultures. He talks about ownership of languages, and what it means to “grow ears”.

Finally, Karen Yin, creator of “Conscious Style Guide”, helps listeners understand how we can create a more inclusive society by listening to the preferences of and boundaries set by marginalised communities.

Grow ears and settle in for a new episode of “What Happens Next?”.

A full transcript of this episode is available on Monash Lens.

Learn more:

• Wunungu Awara: Celebrating and saving Indigenous Australian stories through film
• Preserving Indigenous languages
• Mental health and wellbeing: Listening to young Indigenous people in Narrm 
• A Voice to Parliament
• 50 Words Project
• The free Conscious Language newsletter

“What Happens Next?” will be back next week with a new topic.

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