Indigenous Languages In Canada Flashcards
How can linguists play a role in preserving Indigenous languages in Canada?
Dispel counterproductive ideas and policies with research evidence
Dispel the ideology of monolingualism in N.A. Which encourages Indigenous parents to raise children with English or French. Parents are told it is irregular and disadvantageous to raise children with 1+ Indigenous languages alongside Eng/Fren. Parents are told their kids may be exposed to prejudice, discrimination, a strain in brain growth, linguistic/cognitive/social delays and disorders, and confusion amongst languages, preventing them from ever fully mastering one.
Research suggests young children exposed to multiple languages develop separate, complete linguistic systems without effort or confusion. Proficient speakers may mix languages in fluent speech by consciously shifting between systems.
