Preservation Of Indigenous Languages In The United States. Legislation And Challenges

Abstract

Language extinction is a global problem today, which is why the UN proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages. Today, 6% of indigenous peoples speak over 4,000 languages. According to UNESCO’s Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger, almost all endangered languages are indigenous. Language diversity is of utmost importance for humanity, as each language is the embodiment of a unique culture and wisdom of its people. Any language lost is a loss for all humanity. There is an urgent need for language documentation and searching for ways to preserve indigenous languages. Legislative initiatives to support language preservation might play a crucial role in problem resolution. Analyzing the international experience of preserving indigenous languages and testing the selected language policy strategies reveal the best practices to accumulate positive experience. The goal hereof is to investigate the legal regulation of indigenous language preservation in the US today. Analysis of legislation and its application brings up the question whether the indigenous language preservation efforts are effective. Notably, the US Acts are prone to conflicts and fail to make the preservation of indigenous language a less pressing issue. Such efforts are grant-funded from regional and federal budgets involving the organizations of indigenous peoples in teaching their languages. This cooperation between the state and the civil society to preserve endangered languages brings together language teaching and the objective reality; it encourages social ties strengthening and engaging the organizations of indigenous peoples in educational activities. Such practices might be useful for Russia today.