Applied Linguistics and Literacy
in Africa & the Diaspora Research Network

Foundation for Endangered Languages in association with the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan and The Institute of Humanities, Khorog will be hosting a conference on Endangered Languages and History at the Institute of Humanities, Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Khorog, Tajikistan (24-26 September, 2009). Endangered languages are often the remnants of old nations and civilizations. Many of these languages have been widely used in vast territories for centuries before giving way to more powerful and influential languages over a period of time for various social, economic, literary, political, and natural reasons. It is often precisely in the endangered languages of minorities and indigenous peoples that scholars seek answers to the historical developments of nations, their values and ethics, agricultural activities, habitat, way of life, migration patterns, arts and crafts, religious traditions, archaeological findings, etc. Endangered languages can serve to legitimise the sovereignty of the dominant nations, or to reaffirm their identity and authority over the territory, often at the expense of other languages. In the process, the endangered languages themselves may be strengthened or weakened as the past of the nation becomes a bone of contention. History also has value in the life of a community and can foster and promote a sense of identity among its members, thus perhaps playing a crucial role in the preservation or revitalisation of the endangered languages.

To learn more or to view the call for abstracts, please visit http://www.ogmios.org/home.htm.