Two Minnesotans have received funding for projects to help preserve endangered native languages in the state.
Scott DeMuth received a scholarship from the Hawkinson Foundation to develop a curriculum for the Dakota language immersion school in Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota's Mary Hermes is using a grant from the National Science Foundation to videotape native speakers to preserve some endangered languages.
From The New York Times:
Throughout the United States, many Native American languages are struggling to survive. According to Unesco, more than 130 of these languages are currently at risk, with 74 languages considered "critically endangered." These languages preserve priceless cultural heritage, and some hold unexpected value -- nuances in these languages convey unparalleled knowledge of the natural world. Many of these at-risk languages are found in my home state of California. Now for some, only a few fluent speakers remain.
Hermes joins The Daily Circuit to discuss the endangered languages and what's being done to document and preserve them.
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