Ainu as a Heritage Language of Japan: History, Current State and Future of Ainu Language Policy and Education

Autor/inn/en	Teeter, Jennifer Louise; Okazaki, Takayuki
Titel	Ainu as a Heritage Language of Japan: History, Current State and Future of Ainu Language Policy and Education
Quelle	In: Heritage Language Journal, 8 (2011) 2, S.96-114 (19 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1550-7076
Schlagwörter	Language Maintenance; Language Planning; Indigenous Populations; Foreign Countries; Languages; Diachronic Linguistics; Interviews; Youth; Language Proficiency; International Organizations; Government Role; Japan + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Sprachpflege; Sprachwechsel; Sinti und Roma; Ausland; Language; Sprache; Linguistics; Diachronische Sprachbetrachtung; Historische Linguistik; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Jugend; Jugendlicher; Jugendalter; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; International organisation; International organisations; International organization; Internationale Organisation
Abstract	Ainu is the heritage language of the indigenous people of present-day southern Sakhalin, the Kurile Islands, present-day Hokkaido, and northeastern Honshu (mainland Japan). The UNESCO Interactive Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger (2009) considered the Ainu language critically endangered with only 15 speakers remaining. This article scrutinizes UNESCO's assessment and analyzes the historical and current situation of the Ainu language and its transmission, particularly evaluating government policies related to the transmission of the Ainu language. Analysis in this article will draw upon our field observations and interviews conducted in Hokkaido. Numerous formal and informal discussions were conducted with Ainu teachers, politicians, community members, and activists. Our findings indicate that the grassroots language revitalization efforts have been made and a growing number of youth speak Ainu, although their proficiency levels vary. While policymakers recognize the government's responsibility in reversing language shift, they have yet to articulate adequate policies. The authors conclude with a discussion of the state's positive responsibility to realize the rights ensured by the United Nations of Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This realization will facilitate the transmission of Ainu language and culture, and ensure its vitality in the future. (Contains 1 table and 4 notes.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	National Heritage Language Resource Center and UC Consortium for Language Learning & Teaching. 1333 Rolfe Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1411. Tel: 310-825-1138; Fax: 310-206-5183; e-mail: hlj@international.ucla.edu; Web site: http://www.heritagelanguages.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10