Linguistics in language endangerment studies - Faculty of Arts

Offered by the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics

These courses offer professional development for a wide range of linguists, language maintenance practitioners and speakers of minority languages, with specialist training in documenting endangered languages in the particular social and political contexts in which they are spoken. It is designed for those who are involved in, or aspire to become involved in, work with minority endangered language groups and training is provided in the specialist skills needed to document and maintain endangered languages both in homeland and in diaspora or immigrant community settings.

Fieldworkers often find themselves confronted by a wide variety of challenges. Firstly, there are those associated with the requirement for urgent and optimal documentation practice when opportunities to document a particular language and associated cultural practices are limited. Secondly, there are challenges associated with becoming involved in advocacy and community development, and needing to reassess the conventional relationship between linguist and consultant and community in order to work within an 'empowering' framework. These challenges highlight the need for specialised training to prepare linguists and speakers of endangered languages to do the applied work that communities may ask them to do. As a part of their training, students in Language Endangerment are required to develop an affiliation with a language community or a relevant organisation which is engaged in language maintenance.

Courses range from Masters level to Graduate Certificate, and it is possible to enrol in a course even if you have not completed high school.

For further information on the following courses, contact the postgraduate administrator, School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics.

Relevant course groups

Graduate Certificate
Postgraduate Diploma
Masters degree by coursework

Contacts

Telephone: +61 3 9905 5409

Email: sally.riley@arts.monash.edu.au