Why Language Documentation Matters

This book offers the latest insights on language documentation, a reborn, refashioned, and reenergized subfield of linguistics motivated by the urgent task of creating a record of the world's fast disappearing languages. Language documentation provides data to challenge and improve existing linguistic theory. In addition, because it requires input from various fields to be comprehensive, language documentation serves to build bridges between linguistics and other disciplines. Language documentation also provides resources for communities interested in language and culture preservation, language maintenance, and language revitalization. This book informs, evokes interest, and encourages involvement at all levels.

Provides an overview of the field of language documentation, written by a leading expert Offers useful and current information for those engaged in language documentation, as well as those who analyze and build linguistic theory Is written in an engaging style and encourages involvement in the bid to document the world's endangered languages

Inhalt
Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Languages Heal.- Chapter 3. Languages Inform.- Chapter 4. Reasons for Endangerment.- Chapter 5. Supporting Linguistic Vitality.- Chapter 6. Methods in Language Documentation and Description.- Chapter 7. Linguistic Fieldwork Contributing to Documentation.- Chapter 8. Impact of Language Documentation.