Creating Orthographies for Endangered Languages
Creating Orthographies for Endangered Languages by Mari C. Jones, published by Cambridge University Press on April 2, 2020, is a comprehensive exploration of the role orthography plays in language revitalization. This 343-page volume examines the complexities involved in developing writing systems for endangered languages, emphasizing how such efforts can enhance the status and prestige of these languages within their communities. The book addresses critical questions surrounding the responsibilities of linguists versus speech communities in this process, as well as the ideological and practical considerations that influence the design of orthographies.
Readers will find a thorough discussion of the challenges and benefits associated with creating orthographies, particularly in fragmented speech communities. The text delves into issues such as the selection of local varieties for a common script and the potential conflicts that may arise for existing native speakers. By engaging with topics related to linguistics, language and grammar, and the alphabet, this edition provides valuable insights for those interested in the intersection of language preservation and community identity.
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Creating an orthography is often seen as a key component of language revitalisation. Encoding an endangered variety can enhance its status and prestige. In speech communities that are fragmented dialectally or geographically, a common writing system may help create a sense of unified identity, or help keep a language alive by facilitating teaching and learning. Despite clear advantages, creating an orthography for an endangered language can also bring challenges, and this volume debates the following critical questions: whose task should this be – that of the linguist or the speech community? Should an orthography be maximally distanciated from that of the language of wider communication for ideological reasons, or should its main principles coincide for reasons of learnability? Which local variety should be selected as the basis of a common script? Is a multilectal script preferable to a standardised orthography? And can creating an orthography create problems for existing native speakers?
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