University Events Calendar
10 April, 2012

Date/Time: Tuesday, 10 April 2012, 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Location: North Terrace Campus, Napier Building, Lecture Theatre 102
Cost: Free
More information: Visit website

As globalisation continues apace, the resultant loss of cultural identity, including language, is a cause of increasing distress for peoples everywhere. It has been predicted that 90% of the world's languages will disappear by 2100.

In response to this dire situation, the "language revival" movement has emerged. Its greatest success story is Revived Hebrew, or "Israeli", with other major projects including Hawaiian, and Kaurna, a South Australian Aboriginal language.

The reproductions aren't perfect - today's vernacular in urban Tel Aviv, for example, sounds quite unlike that of the Old Testament. But according to University of Adelaide Professor Ghil`ad Zuckermann, this is no failing.

On the contrary, he argues, in any revival a degree of hybridization of the mother tongue is both inevitable and beneficial.

In this provocative session he will not only discuss this and other critical insights for the movement's success, but present a passionate case for the establishment of a new discipline dedicated to its study:"Revival Linguistics".

Contact: Bookings Essential (email), website, Business: 8303 3692