Endangered Languages Week 2010

School of Oriental and African Studies
Russell Square, London

22 - 27 February 2010

This page last updated: 10 February 2010.

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There are approximately 7,000 languages spoken today but more than half of them are under threat from larger languages.

Endangered Languages Week 2010 presents a variety of talks, displays, discussions, films, lectures and workshops. This year's theme is sustainability: can the world's languages be sustained, and if so, which ones, and how? And can the now-vigorous activities in documenting and supporting languages continue long enough to make a difference?

Activities include:

• Meet an Endangered Language - a series of short presentations on several endangered languages, where you can learn about where they are spoken, why they are threatened, and experience their culture - as well as learn some basic words and phrases
• Meet a fieldworker- short informal sessions where you can hear about the practical and human issues in doing fieldwork in locations such as such as Algeria, Iran, Tanzania, and the Solomon Islands.
• Films - a day of international films on endangered languages
• Open Day- visit the Brunei Gallery to see a variety of displays, demonstrations, software, posters, and books from organisations involved in endangered languages activities
• Annual Public Lecture- Lenore Grenoble Switch or Shift: Code-Mixing, Contact-Induced Change and Attrition
• Endangered Languages, Endangered Knowledge & Sustainability: a full day workshop
• A debate on the realities of language preservation.

Most events are free of charge and open to anyone who is interested in endangered languages.