When languages die
I've been reading for comps aka Comprehensive Exams aka those things that start this Friday. (EEEP!) Three ten page essays in ten days. One would think that I, who can write a fifteen page paper in eight hours, would not be so worried about this. But I'm terrified; comps is what gets you a MA and into the Ph.D program. If you pass.
My latest readings have all been on Language Revitalization programs, which are much lighter (cognitively speaking) than things on argument structure and grammaticization (trust me on this one), but are downright depressing. I can't express how frustrating it is to read about something you want to do, and learn again and again that you will fail. Let me say that again: You. Will. Fail.
It makes me want to cry. I want to do something--blame the author, perhaps--except that when you read the articles and books, you know they feel the same way you do. More than that, they've been in direct contact with that feeling for over twenty years.
The US is so retarded about multilingualism, I could scream. But that's a rant for another time.
My latest readings have all been on Language Revitalization programs, which are much lighter (cognitively speaking) than things on argument structure and grammaticization (trust me on this one), but are downright depressing. I can't express how frustrating it is to read about something you want to do, and learn again and again that you will fail. Let me say that again: You. Will. Fail.
It makes me want to cry. I want to do something--blame the author, perhaps--except that when you read the articles and books, you know they feel the same way you do. More than that, they've been in direct contact with that feeling for over twenty years.
The US is so retarded about multilingualism, I could scream. But that's a rant for another time.