Course Description
Summary
This course provides an introduction to the Indigenous languages of the Americas, examining the rich linguistic diversity, structural features, and cultural contexts in which they are embedded. We will consider both Indigenous perspectives on what language is, the relationships it entails, and appropriate contexts for use as well as western perspectives on linguistic structure, typological rara, and “genetic” classification. We will discuss the colonial histories and presents within which speakers/learners of select languages of North, Central, and South America operate, with a major focus on issues related to language shift and subsequent documentation, maintenance, reclamation, and revitalization efforts.
