For this week’s class meetings, please read the following two articles, both of which can be downloaded from the “Readings” section of this website:

McCloskey, James. 2007. Irish as a world language. In Why Irish?, B. Conchubhar and B. Buachalla (eds). Syracuse: Arlen House / Syracuse University Press.

Zepeda, Ofelia & Jane H. Hill. 1991. The condition of Native American languages in the United States. Diogenes 153: 45-65.

Both readings describe efforts to revitalize endangered languages (in Ireland and the United States, respectively), as well as the sorts of difficulties that such efforts often encounter.

Note: the McCloskey article repeatedly refers to the Irish Gaeltacht communities. These are districts in Ireland where the government has officially recognized that Irish is the predominant language (i.e., the language spoken at home).