LING 2014 - Australian Indigenous Languages

There were 250 or more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages spoken in Australia at the time of first contact with Europeans. Now, according to the latest National Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS II), only 13 of these languages are transmitted by normal means from one generation to the next. Australia has arguably the worst rate of language loss in the world. These languages are Australia's unique and complex linguistic heritage, which at times challenge established linguistic doctrines and provide interesting lenses through which to view and categorise the world. This course will provide an introduction to Australia's Indigenous languages (including Aboriginal English varieties, koines and creoles), with a particular focus on the Indigenous languages of South Australia. It will investigate structural features of Australian languages (for example, sounds, spellings, vocabularies, grammars, semantics) as well as their place within Australian society. Particular emphasis will be given to attempts to maintain and revive Australia's unique linguistic heritage and the linguistic tools needed for language work. The course will also investigate a range of topics of social importance including interpreting and translation, language and the law, language and health, language and education, language and identity which are at the heart of Indigenous rights and the very survival of Indigenous peoples. Students will gain an awareness of Australia's Indigenous linguistic heritage, whilst at the same time extending and consolidating their understanding of linguistics, linguistic analysis and the tools it provides for language work.