Endangered Languages Week 2011

School of Oriental and African Studies
Russell Square, London

9 - 14 May 2011

This page last updated: 6 May 2011.

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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 2011 presents a variety of talks, displays, discussions, films, lectures and workshops.

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
• 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. Meet our MA students, who have been working on a 'London's Language Landscape' project and will present their findings at this event.
• Book Launch - at 5pm on Thursday 12 May in the Brunei Suite, there will be a book launch of Professor Anvita Abbi's book 'Birds of the Great Andamanese'
• Seminar- In the hands of babes: the future of sign languages Gary Morgan (City University)
• Annual Public Lecture -What are we trying to preserve? Diversity, change, and ideology at the edge of Cameroonian Grassfields Jeff Good (University at Buffalo)
• Applied Language Documentation in sub-Saharan Africa: a full day workshop
• Listen to our podcasts at http://soasradio.org/endangered-languages

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