The longitudinal corpus of language acquisition, maintenance and contact: Warlpiri & Light Warlpiri

Abstract

ABSTRACT Australian Indigenous languages contribute to the linguistic diversity and wealth of the nation and the world, yet are highly vulnerable due to continuing legacies of colonization. Speakers show resilience and creativity in maintaining languages and creating new ways of speaking as they adapt to forced relocation, societal changes and pressure from English. Documentation of these languages provides resources for speakers, educators and researchers interested in understanding language continuity, change and learning. The Longitudinal corpus of language acquisition, maintenance and contact: Warlpiri & Light Warlpiri contains recordings and transcriptions of the speech of adults and children in four Warlpiri communities in the Northern Territory, Australia. In one community a new contact language, known as Light Warlpiri, has emerged, and the corpus provides the documentation for perspectives on its emergence and continuity, including the roles of child speakers, and also of the maintenance of the traditional language, Warlpiri. The corpus also contains recordings of Warlpiri spoken by adults and children in four communities in 2010, providing a snapshot of Warlpiri across generations at that point in time. This paper describes the rationale for and development of the corpus.