Bilingual Research Journal: The Journal of the National Association for Bilingual Education [K. Freeman, A. Stairs, E. Corbiere, D. Lazore]

“This is a discussion of the life and death of three indigenous languages in eastern Canada. Demographics and contexts of language shift are reviewed, emphasizing particularly the sharp contrast between a revival focus for Mohawk and a maintenance focus for still thriving and broadly literate Inuktitut. Issues of identity and ownership are addressed through both in school and community out-of-school language use controversies and efforts, ranging from teacher education to organized community programs to family and everyday life practices. Deep concerns for the connection of indigenous language to cultural meaning-making and values are expressed by both indigenous community members and non-indigenous sojourners in these indigenous worlds. The theme of change, both distressing language loss and creative language evolution, is stressed—encompassing diversification of language forms, developing indigenous literacies, and new indigenous uses of the national languages.”