The Medium & the Message:
Native Languages as Cultural Keys
"Language is the amber of culture, cradling the essence
of the past while channeling light for the future."
...........journal, LP Phillips, 1998
When Marshall McLuhan declared "The medium is the message", I'm sure he wasn't aware of the truth he spoke about the languages of indigenous peoples. Because the relation of language to culture is so important, I've included a brief essay about language on page 2. I hope you have time to read and consider the value of language as the key to culture.
Language & Linguistics Lnks
The Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas
An excellent resource! Don't miss these two especially useful collections:
SSILA Teaching Aides
SSILA Interneit Resources
Olelo Hawai`i (Hawaiian Language)at the excellent Onipa`a pages, which point out that "Hawaiian is an official state language along with English.
There have been over 100 different Hawaiian language newspapers published. Shakespeare is translated into Hawaiian."
American Indian Studies Research Institute
Dr. Akira Yamamoto at the University of Kansas Linguistics Department presents excellent seminars for non-linguists working to preserve their languages
Oklahoma Native Voices Project ooops! this one is...gone?
Extensible Grammar & Dictionary Systems, with Mingo language
E-LEX, mail list discussing the design of human-usable dictionaries with electronic interfaces
American Language
Reprint Series: historical reprints on Eastern Indian languages
Kanienkehaka
language (Iroquois Confederacy)
Oneida Indian Language Project
The Cherokee Companion (software)
Navajo Community College
Navajo Language Program
The Lakota Language (Fr.Bucko's pages)
Arapaho Language
Modern Southern Cheyenne
Prairie Potawatomi Language now at their new web location, with sound files.
WWW Virtual Library Language Index
Here's a "mega-links site" with many links to native languages worldwide:
Karen Strom's Hanksville language links
Go to Language, page 2 or to the index
Updated July 4, 1998