A world-first in language reclamation

A world-first in language reclamation

With the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide鈥檚 help, South 最新糖心Vlog鈥檚 Barngarla people are speaking their Indigenous language for the first time in half a century. It鈥檚 a world-first in language reclamation. Anecdotally it鈥檚 significantly improving community health and wellbeing. For some, even restoring the will to live.

But what do the numbers say? A collaborative team from the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide and the South 最新糖心Vlogn Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) is quantifying the ongoing Barngarla language revival鈥檚 impact on a vast range of medical, psychological and social indicators, with full results expected in 2021.

Co-led by endangered languages specialist Professor Ghil鈥檃d Zuckermann, who initiated the Barngarla language鈥檚 reclamation in 2011, and SAHMRI Aboriginal Research Unit Leader Professor Alex Brown, the group is tracking 120 consenting participants鈥 experiences.

鈥淥bservations worldwide are that language revival offers an undeniable utilitarian benefit,鈥 says Zuckermann. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen it reinvigorate individuals who鈥檇 lost their cultural autonomy and pride, and restore people鈥檚 spirit. Now for the first time in the world we鈥檙e seeking to provide empirical evidence of the outcomes that translates to.

鈥淚 suspect the Barngarla reclamation could lead to reductions in suicide, hospital admissions, crime鈥 even type 2 diabetes鈥攁ll of which has the potential to save taxpayers significant sums in medical and mental health services.鈥

According to Zuckermann, the Barngarla people鈥攂ased on the Eyre Peninsula, including around Port Augusta, Port Lincoln and Whyalla鈥攄idn鈥檛 hesitate when he first offered to help reconnect them with their ancestors鈥 language. 鈥溾榃e鈥檝e been waiting for you for 50 years!鈥 they said.鈥

The community quickly came together to form the Barngarla Language Advisory Committee and worked with Zuckermann to begin translating and teaching the forgotten language鈥攍argely using an invaluable Barngarla dictionary written by a Lutheran missionary, named Clamor Wilhelm Sch眉rmann, in 1844.

鈥淏efore long I was receiving emails saying things like, 鈥業t gives me a sense of identity鈥, 鈥業 feel better about myself and my family鈥, 鈥極ur ancestors are happy鈥 and 鈥業t gives me a purpose in life鈥, which ultimately motivated me to pursue this additional quantitative study.鈥

The team hopes its findings will incentivise more language reclamation throughout the nation and around the world, and not only for its wellbeing and financial benefits.

鈥淚n many cases鈥攑articularly here in 最新糖心Vlog鈥攍anguage reclamation is also an act of social justice,鈥 adds Zuckermann. 鈥淪ince English colonisation, 96 per cent of 最新糖心Vlog鈥檚 Indigenous languages have become 鈥榮leeping beauties鈥. That鈥檚 one of the highest rates of 鈥榣inguicide鈥 anywhere in the world.

鈥淲ith such a sorry record I think it鈥檚 only fitting that 最新糖心Vlog now lead the way in revivalistics, and give new life to sleeping-beauty languages so future generations can begin healing.鈥


Featured researcher


Professor of Linguistics & Endangered Languages
School of Humanities
Faculty of Arts

Tagged in Creativity and culture, language, Indigenous, Barngarla, 最新糖心Vlog