Language has been preserved in a number of ways in the south west. Some of these modes used to preserve the sanctity of language as a means of transmitting cultural practice as well as lifestyles are namely; through the media, through teaching, evolving it and excreta.
There have been teaching programs that have helped in language preservation as well; as revitalization for example, the Springs Hualapai program. There has been so many challenges that have confronted the development of the local language such as; the development of a federally, subsidized housing program. This led to the weakening of the former traditionally upheld family cultural orientations.
Secondly, the existence of media that use English language in their programs has caused a great deal of impediment to the evolution of the language. Moreover, even with the development of a bilingual curriculum, there was still an overwhelming growth in English language as most learners came to school with English as their first language
Another challenge that has confronted the revitalization of the local language has been the opposing or dissenting interest from a section of community members and parents who had preference for English as an academic language for example, the elders rejection to the native language being put in print.
Education has played a prime role in the revitalization and preservation of language. For in stance, by the year one thousand, nine hundred and seventy six, the number of school going children was about fifty. These learners spoke English by virtue of their being at school since the school curriculum was disseminated in English.
The development of the curriculum in local Hualapai language has bolstered the level of language preservation. Further more the schism between English and the local language has equally added an exceeding import to the retention of the form of the language per se. Secondly, the support of the local community has largely come in handy in attempts of preserving the local language.
The elders who wield power among the community members have largely been supportive in attempts to have the local language put into print. Moreover, the cognizant of the aid of the language that, acknowledged that the language was capable of abstract ideas or notions have brought in and indelible contribution to the preservation of the language too. Along the same length, the parents and guardians who treated English as the sole language for school going children relented to the demand of harmonizing the local language with English language and their also gave ay to a great deal of language preservation.
Lastly, the support from the staffs in campaigning for the harmonization program that led to the development of bilingual academic program and their absolute victory against their opposing allies lend to a great development in modalities that was to guarantee the preservation and the revitalization of the local language.
The development of relevant resources by both the staffs and the community members led to the first attempt in preserving the local language in print. There was equally an import that wads given by parents and guardians who took part in school activities, school events and volunteered to make this bilingual program suffice. Save from the development of the bilingual academic program, the staffs met very often to learn the language. This was very ideal since they were the ones who were going to be responsible for the language transmission to the learners.
Moreover, there was equally an in-service training for teachers in the language and this too led to further development of the language since the teachers gained competence in it. The in-service training enabled the teachers to de4velope more resource materials as well us assisted them gain the capacity to re evaluate the academic program.
Researchers were encouraged to carry out their works on the local language. Tribal instructors were also sought to help I the transliteration of the curriculum that was initially done in English to the local language. Non natives were who attended the schools were also able to gain competence in the local language and their further the development and evolution of the language.
In conclusion, the policy programs that were developed in language were an added necessity in the evolution and growth of the language. The government was equally very supportive of the development of the local language. For in stance, the government has ensured that the principal position in schools are help by Hualapai’s as well as posting cer6tifieds teachers who can properly handle that challenges of the bilingual program and the posting of tribal instructors have underscored the revitalization of the local language.
Within the community level, there was the d4evelopement of parent’s advisory committee. This committee was formed in nineteen seventy five as the program as started. This committee has contributed to the preservation of the language in that, during its regular meeting sessions, they evaluate thee programs policy formulation and execution.
The media
The media influences people’s language choice. Attempts to broadcast in the native language have largely motivated the people to develop an increasing love for the language. The media helps in the impartation of cultural practices, in the advertisement of commodities on arrival excreta.
Attempts to, standardize the native language and to, reflect on its evolution consistently has improved its growth in society. This has helped in the development of a uniform, consistent and a palatable modality in giving the language a proper treatise. This ha also assisted students of the language such as the non natives.
The media has also helped in the preservation of indigenous language. The media equally assisted in bolstering the self-image of the natives. The natives tend to identify more with the local language, the tribal instructors and teachers who uphold the usage of language.
Last but not least, standardization of the native language has helped in the maintenance of the local language too. This is due to the fact that, it is easier to make it an academic subject since its formation and patterns are predictable and consistent.
Audience and Programming
In the context of language maintenance, it is important to have a wide and diverse audience; however, the audience is determined in part by programming, i.e. the need or desire to listen to Navajo-language programs.
Language Standards
The use of the local language in broadcasting helps in the transmission of the language. But the local the standardization of the local language by the staffs and the management of the language has added a great in put in the revitalization of the language. There has been the development of an official standard to use in this treatise. It is therefore of great necessity that a methodology or a pedagogy in the determination of what would be termed as correct and communally acceptable be developed.
Lastly the audience has greatly assisted in the development of language by giving rectitude to the broadcasters whenever they go wrong on the language.
Conclusion
There have been so many impediments to the revitalization and preservation of the native language in the southwest. For example, the resistance by the community elders when attempts to put the language in print wads brought forth, the assertion that the native language wad in capable of abstract thinking, lack of resources in the language as well as lack of a specified structure in the language usage. But, these challenges have also been greatly handling. This has led to the full development of the local language in that, it has been placed in print, in cooperated in the curriculum, resource personnel have been trained and put in charge of its transmission. For example, the tribal instructors, teachers were taken to in service training on the language among others.
The media have been an ardent contributes too towards the growth of the language. They have hence helped in its standardization, in cooperated rectitude from their audience as well as trained their podcasters in its usage.
The notion of encouraging linguistic researchers to do their research works in the native language has led to more inquiry into the native language. This has largely contributed to further development of the Hupei language per se.
Cited works
Crystal, David. Language Death. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Dalbey, Andrew. Language in Danger. London: The Penguin Press, 2002.
Nettle, Daniel and Suzanne Romaine. Vanishing Voices: The Extinction of the World's Languages. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Albey, Mark. Spoken Here: Travels Among Threatened Languages. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.
Bradley, David and Maya Bradley, editors. Language Endangerment and Language Maintenance. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2002.
