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Linguistic Diversity and Endangerment among Tibetans
Gerald RocheAustralian Research Council DECRA Fellow
Asia Institute, University of Melbourne
International Association for Tibetan Studies June 19-25, 2016. Bergen, Norway.
Outline
• Define, count, measure• Linguistic diversity and social justice.– Define: identify the affected group– Count: breadth of the issue (individuals and
communities)– Measure: the depth of the issue
‘Minor’ Languages?
• Territorial/ genetic/ (+ethnic) definition… • Social meaning.
Languages
oral
excluded
elided
derided
low
Speakers
Othered
inegalitarian multilingualism
monitored
stigmatized
Intersectionality/ vulnerability
How Many?
In Tibet
How Many?
In Tibet
14 33 43 59Minzu
paradigmChinese
reference literature
Ethnologue Non-referenceliterature
more conservative less conservative
How Many?
Among Tibetans
0 14 15 26Minzu
paradigmChinese
reference literature
Ethnologue Non-referenceliterature
3.97% 3.77%
How Endangered?
Ethnologue
40% threatened20% shifting
Roche and Suzuki
60% 100%
Among Tibetans
How Endangered?• Rta’u = “clearly endangered” (TIBETAN)• Nyagrong Minyag = “hanging from a precarious
ledge” (TIBETAN)• Doxu = “terminally endangered” (CHINESE)• Namuyi = “very much an endangered language”
(CHINESE/ NUOSU)• Manegacha = ~20% shift to Tibetan (TIBETAN)• Gochang = “clearly endangered… the fate of Gochang
appears to be one of slow decrease in the number of speakers and constriction of the area where the language is spoken. ” (CHINESE)
Conclusion
• Tibet is linguistically diverse.• This diversity includes ‘minority languages’.• These minority languages are endangered.• We Tibetologists have a role to play.
① Write② Teach & outreach③ Support
• Please send feedback/ questions: g.roche@unimelb.edu.au
• Facebook: Minority Languages of the Chinese Tibetosphere
• Keep an eye out for the forthcoming special issue of the International Journal of the Sociology of Language
Thanks! བཀའ་དྲི ན་ཆེ
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