If you could magically acquire two additional languages and become a fluent or at least C2 level speaker, which ones would you choose?

Chinuk wawa and Lakhotiyapi. The first for land-acknowledgement reasons, the second for heritage reasons, and both for language preservation and indigineity reasons.

I did have some command of chinuk wawa for a while, but I've lost most of it from disuse, now that I've graduated and no longer spend time at the Native Student Center nor go to language nights at the local tribal offices. It would be nice to be able to magically keep what I've once learned, even as I acknowledge that a language is inextricable from its speakers and their culture, and that it's kind of cheating to want to keep the language when I'm not making weekly opportunities to speak it.

I've never had a opportunity to learn Lakhotiyapi. And I just. It's a hole in my life and my identity, a thing that was taken away from us by colonialism, and I fucking want it back.

I thought I might as well say this now - I'm going to be uploading language-related videos over the next few months, including the latest episode of Minority Language Report, where I'll be talking about Northern Sami (davvisámegiella). So, if you're interested, be sure to turn your notifications on to watch them as soon as they're released!

You can also follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LPhiliax

Blokétu.

via Twitter https://twitter.com/Funding_Grants

Ahaw Kwé, migwetch jak she gego ga gishtoyen! Oh woman, thank you for everything you have created! #thankyouwoman Let's make sure to appreciate, thank, respect and support all women, menstruating and non, for all that they endure, create and live in this world! And remember the better we get at respecting and honoring women the better we get at respecting and honoring our Mother Earth! Here are some words inspired by this regram thanks to @lakhotiyapi #Lakhotalanguage #woman – #wíŋyaŋ Grandmother Earth – Unčí Makȟá moon – haŋhépi wí proud – ítan #Lokonolanguage : OTHIKOAN [ochikoan] (vi): menstruate. Kathi-ma n-a na nonoathi othikoan. “Women menstruate monthly.” #Hiaro – woman Kathi [kachi] – moon, month Tatan – strong #Garifunalanguage #Würi, #hiñaru – woman Hati – moon, month Idani – cycle Irufungutu – beautiful Dídeitu – strong Düwürügütu – proud #Tainolanguage #Inaru – woman Kati, karaya – moon #atabey – mother earth, goddess of the bodies of water and fertility #wabancex – goddess of the wind that rides the waves, menstruation, the indomitable female energy #maorilanguage : Mate - monthly cycle, menstruation, period #Oodhamlanguage 'I:da'a - this woman cu:va : to menstruate for the first time cu:va'am : a girl menstruating for the first time hug[ï]cud : to eat clay (ritual eating of clay by a girl at puberty or a woman after giving birth) ex: Napt 'ehugïc? Did you eat clay? #Sauklanguage #ihkwêwa – woman #nekya – my mother tepehkikîshethwa moon Kîshethwa – month, sun, moon îninâhi, nâhinâhi - at that time wêwenethiwa – to be beautiful, pretty wîshikethiwa – to be strong mîshâtênemowa – to be proud, glad #Potawatomilanguage : #Kwé – woman #ngye – my mother Dbek gizes – moon Wdewpi – at this time Mnwabmenagwek – to be beautiful Mishgwezet – to be strong Wédaséwet – to be courageous Kyétnamzet – to be confident Bmadzet – to be alive #endangeredlanguageartproject https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnj-LiSgrly/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=iyze7w7alsae

05

Another preview of Minority Language Report: the web-series that takes a look at languages which don’t get a lot of attention. This is the introduction to the Lakota episode, coming out (hopefully) on January 2nd 2020.

(EDIT: Unfortunately, I got the flu on one of my editing days, so it'll actually be coming out on January 3rd 2020)

My preview said it'd be out on Jan 2nd. I later said it would be delayed to Jan 3rd. It came out on the Jan 4th. Moral of the story? Set realistic deadlines for yourself and find faster ways to edit your videos.

I’ve decided to do Northern Sami next, but after that I’m not sure. Be sure to leave some suggestions in the comments!