In this section we will document revitalization and restoration projects regarding languages that have been considered dead and are undergoing a process of restoration, reanimation or re-awakening by linguists, activists and/or communities.
As Tsunoda Tasuki states, many “efforts are being made to document endangered languages, to maintain them, and even to revive languages once they are extinct” (p 6). A clear example of a success story has been the restoration of Hebrew from which, as Lemus states, “we can learn many lessons”, but the most important is the role of the speaker in the decision-making process. Says: “The most important lesson that can be learned from the revival of Hebrew is that no language can be revitalized or revived unless its speakers feel it is an important component of their cultural identity” (Lemus).
Among the projects presented in this section, you will find examples of the restoration of the Taíno that is taking place in both Puerto Rico and the United States, as stated by the proponents of those projects.
Being based in Puerto Rico, InDiLPE researchers from the Caribbean understand that it is pertinent and necessary to address the issue of the efforts that other researchers are making to restore the Taino language and demonstrate its value as an element of cultural heritage.
Other examples of languages that are being awakened or restored in the Caribbean, in addition to Taino, are:
- Rama Language & Culture Project Collection | Archive of Indigenous Languages of Latin America (utexas.org)
- Patois protection projects in Trinidad and Tobago
Due to the nature of linguistic change and the new interest of linguists, activists, and speakers, this section will be constantly evolving.