Documenting language loss and endangerment: Research tools and approaches

Abstract

Support for endangered languages grew rapidly in the early 1990s, the result mainly of research documenting an accelerating rate of global language loss. While efforts to redress language attrition are probably quite ancient, the past two decades have seen redoubled energy devoted to research and practical action on reversing language loss, producing ever more sophisticated analytical tools, creation of specialized agencies, and increased opportunities for discussing the phenomenon. This chapter discusses such international efforts to document and support endangered languages with a view to informing thinking about language vitality in the U.S. context and internationally.