On Saving and Losing Aboriginal Languages: an Interview with an Outback Linguist

Southern Rockhole at Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge).
Photo from www.ourterritory.com

Galloping Jack's Waterhead
Photo from www.ourterritory.com

Language going walkabout?
Limmen National Park
Photo from www.ourterritory.com

Documenting languages can be a race against time in Australia, where many Aboriginal languages are on the verge of extinction. But recording language is not only about keeping the past intact.

Working with communities on their native languages can highlight present needs and failings in educational practices. In the current political landscape of language policy in the Northern Territory (NT), all children must be taught at least 4 hours per day in English. But will this lead to better outcomes or to more loss of Aboriginal languages?

Eugenie Collyer shares her experiences as a language research officer in the town of Katherine, known for its spectacular gorge and other natural sights. I spoke to her about bilingualism, biology, politics and bush honey...

What does a community language centre do and what is the linguist's role?

The goal of a community language centre is to document, maintain and revitalise Aboriginal languages in the region. Some language centres also run an interpreter service for indigenous languages. I worked as a full-time linguist, with my role split between managing and training the interpreters and doing some community language documentation. There are various forms of documentation, such as working on dictionaries or grammars of the language, and creating resources with the community for use in school language programs such as videos, CDs, flashcards and books. Linguists are sometimes involved in class planning as well for the language programs.

What have you been working on recently?

One current project is a Plant and Animal (Ethnobiology) project. These projects are conducted in collaboration with Aboriginal elders and a biologist. The aim is to document all the Indigenous knowledge of plants and animals for a particular language group. Previous Plant and Animal Projects include Jawoyn and Tiwi language groups and work is currently being done on languages of Gregory National Park including Ngaliwurru, Ngarinyman and Jaminjung.

Many elders are concerned that their language will be forgotten, so they are keen to have it written down to be used for learning language and bush medicine by the next generation. I have been working specifically on a Plant and Animal Project for Mangarrayi language, from Elsey Station area (the station in 'We of the Never Never'). For these projects, the elders share their knowledge of plants and animals; the linguist helps write down the traditional language names for all plants, animals, tools, types of country and other language associated with biology of that language region, and the biologist makes sure that the traditional names and the scientific names for the plants and animals match up so that we're all talking about the same thing.

For example, sugarbag (bush honey) is very complex, with lots of names for the various parts of the nest, wax, honey, different types of bees, etc. Without a biologist, the linguist would not know which part was which. Likewise, without the linguist, the biologist would not know how to write down the language. And of course, without the elders, there would be no knowledge to document in the first place.

What do you think about the NT government's policy of teaching children 4 hrs per day in English?

The former NT Education Minister's announcement in October 2008 was devastating. Many people feel it is devastating because it will mean a loss of culture and a loss of language. These are both outcomes which will lead to a loss of identity, further social dysfunction and even the removal of employment opportunities to share culture in the tourist industry or to younger generations.

What I find most devastating, and confusing, about the proposed policy is that the first four hours of school in English will not even assist children's acquisition of English. There is no evidence to support the 'first 4 hours in English' model. In fact, since former Minister Scrymgour announced that Teaching Assistants will be allowed to act as interpreters in the classroom, not much has changed from the status quo in non-bilingual schools across the Territory (many community schools have Teaching Assistants who facilitate classes by puting what the English speaking teacher is saying into the child's first langauge - Kriol or a traditional language like Warlpiri) - a system which she has already acknowledged is failing community school children. The proposed model creates a language barrier between the students and their studies. It makes it more difficult for them to learn maths, science, social studies, history, and even to learn English.

Can you explain the policy a bit more? What does this mean for current bilingual programs?

The proposed model is not about teaching English - it is teaching in English. Children are not given the chance to learn English in a structured way - they will just be 'talked at'. One of the aims of a bilingual program is to use a child's first language to develop their knowledge - both spoken and written - of a second (in this case, English). A properly supported bilingual program will achieve fluency in both languages. There is evidence supporting this in the NT DET's own report of 2005.

This policy seems to be ideologically driven by the idea that kids will not learn English if they are taught in their first language. Many people do not understand that bilingual programs do not just focus on one language, but two. A child's first language is used to facilitate their learning of a second. Perhaps this ideology is strong in a country like Australia because mainstream society tends to be monolingual. Most people here do not realise that globally, most people are bilingual, and it is monolingualism which is uncommon. So the idea of being bilingual is unfamiliar. However, much evidence supports bilingual models as a way for minority language groups to gain access to mainstream education and the national language. Hopefully, with the recent reshuffle of the NT parliament, education for communities will be back on the agenda with a more informed approach. What we need is policy which is evidence-based, not ideologically driven.

You're originally from Melbourne? What was it like to move to Katherine?

Needless to say, Katherine is very different to Melbourne. I find it so different that when I am in Katherine, Melbourne is almost a dream, and vice versa. I feel quite at home and I have great friends in both places. One of the biggest differences is the weather. Even having been in Katherine for nearly two years, it's still a challenge getting used to the heat and humidity. Having an interesting job and a great group of friends certainly helped the transition. Another thing that surprises me sometimes is how small the town is. It's just big enough to deceive you into a false sense of anonymity - then something might happen on Friday night, and by the time you get to work on Monday the whole town knows!

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