Leanne Hinton: "Bringing the Language Home: Language Revitalization in the Family"

The Office of Gaelic Affairs, Province of Nova Scotia, Dìleab: Comunn Sgaoileadh Eadar-Ghinealach na Gàidhlig ann an Albainn Nuaidh and the Gorsebrook Research Institute for Atlantic Canada Studies, Saint Mary’s University present Leanne Hinton, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Linguistics, University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Hinton will present a lecture titled "Bringing the Language Home: Language Revitalization in the Family."

The most important locus of language revitalization is the home, the primary place where first language acquisition occurs. Professor Hinton will present accounts from around the world of families where the parents, often language learners themselves, have made the commitment to use their heritage language at home with their children. We will see what lessons can be learned from examining their methods of bringing the languages to their homes, their sacrifices, tribulations, and successes.

The lecture is on Tuesday, May 10, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. in Atrium 101, Saint Mary’s University.