Language Revival: Significance, Strategies, Methods and Issues

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to outline the maintenance of cultural heritage through language revival. It discusses the need for language revitalisation in terms of its significance, strategies, methods and issues. It found that ethical reasons, aesthetic motivations, economic justifications, cognitive benefits are adequate to embark on any language revival program. It also found that both language and culture need to be revived. It was also found that there are three effective approaches to language revival (i.e. total-immersion method, bilingual method and language reclamation method). It was also found that language revitalisation programs experience a number of problems, represented in complexity of the language, existence of other languages to revive, government support and language programs. This paper concluded that language revival is a matter of ethics, pride, knowledge, beauty, economics and cognition. Thus, the general public and all authorities should be aware of individuals involved in the language loss situations, and the steps needed to transform their life.