What does it take to save a dying language? Join linguists Greg Anderson and K. David Harrison for a free screening of their 2008 film, The Linguists, which follows them around the world as they collect recordings of people speaking threatened languages. The screening, which will be followed by a Q&A, will be held in the History Museum Auditorium and is presented in collaboration with the Lensic and the International Folk Art Alliance. (The Lensic will feature a multimedia presentation by the two men on Oct. 6 at 7 pm. Tickets for that event are $10; ticketssantafe.org.)
More than half of the world’s 7,000+ languages are endangered and may go extinct in this century. The loss of small languages will have dire consequences for culture, science, and the environment. Around the world, speakers of endangered languages are mounting strategic efforts to save their languages. Anderson and Harrison—who work with National Geographic’s Enduring Voices Project—are among the world’s leading experts when it comes to saving endangered languages.
K. David Harrison is a linguist, explorer, and Fellow at National Geographic Society. He co-leads expeditions to remote locations to meet with the last speakers of endangered languages and help preserve their knowledge. He teaches linguistics at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. Gregory Anderson is a linguist and director of the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages. He has done fieldwork in Siberia, India, Papua New Guinea, Nigeria, and many other locations. As a National Geographic Fellow, he co-led the Enduring Voices Project to map and explore the world’s language hotspots.
Download a high-res image of David Harrison recording a native speaker by clicking on "Go to related images" at the bottom of this page.
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