Define / DEAF

Language awareness equates with the absence of knowledge and use of mother tongue. At this level mother tongue is classified in linguistic terminology as ‘moribund’, as there are no known language informants left. When a language has been designated as moribund it has been recognised as inactive. Mother tongue can only be recovered by researching secondary historical sources. Typically, language awareness progresses the accrual of basic wordlists and fosters limited re-voicing of mother tongue. Language reclamation equates with highly diminished knowledge and use of mother tongue. At this level mother tongue is classified as highly endangered because there are only a few remaining language informants. Mother tongue is still primarily recovered by researching secondary historical sources. Typically language reclamation progresses the accrual of sound word/phrase lists and fosters wider re- voicing of mother tongue. Language revitalisation equates with continued, though incomplete, knowledge and use of mother tongue. At this level mother tongue is classified as endangered because word/phrase usage is not widespread across a language community. Language is primarily recovered through the input of existing language informants and the support of additional research activity. Typically, language revitalisation progresses the accrual of comprehensive word lexicons and phrasebooks. This then progresses the re-voicing of mother tongue in degrees of speech fluency. Language maintenance usually equates with full speech fluency, though mother tongue, at this level, can still be considered as ‘at risk’. Language maintenance does not usually involve a great deal of effort in terms of language recovery, it is more centred on sustaining the voicing of mother tongue by ensuring that each new generation uptakes mother tongue at the highest possible level of speech fluency. Notwithstanding this, the underlying premise behind the idea of language maintenance can be applied successfully to less speech fluent language revitalisation contexts, and even quite well in language reclamation and language awareness contexts. Originally, language nests were pioneered as community centred preschool language immersion initiatives. These initiatives were created to provide opportunities for older fluent speakers of mother tongue to pass their knowledge of mother tongue onto younger generations in a language immersion environment. Language nests were a direct strategic response to fear over acute decline in the fluent use of mother tongue. Language nests have since evolved into whole of community language and culture initiatives capable of supporting language awareness, reclamation and revitalisation activity, as well as fulfilling the original purpose of language maintenance for self-renewal of full speech fluency. Language immersion is a specific language education context wherein the language that is being taught is used almost exclusively. With First Nation languages immersion moves language learning away from teaching words and phrases using English as the language of instruction into teaching whole curricula using mother tongue as the language of instruction. Immersion equates with language maintenance because full or near full speech fluency is needed in order to create an immersion environment. Where language revitalisation has resulted in the development of comprehensive word lexicons and phrase.