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In this article by @JakelinTroy and I, we look at persistent public opposition to Indigenous languages and their revitalization. We found that people make 5 main arguments (thread): https://www.languageonthemove.com/indigenous-language-denialism-in-australia/
1. Language revitalization doesn't work. It works but it's too hard. It costs too much. IT'S IMPRACTICAL.
2. Language revitalization harms Indigenous people. It isolates them spatially, socially, and economically.
2/n
2. Language revitalization harms Indigenous people. It isolates them spatially, socially, and economically.
2/n
3. Revitalized languages are fake languages.
4. The government shouldn't support language revitalization. Communities need to do it themselves.
3/n
4. The government shouldn't support language revitalization. Communities need to do it themselves.
3/n
5. It's more important to promote English than Indigenous languages. English is the language of economic success and is Australia's official language.
4/n
4/n
All of these arguments are contradicted by extensive evidence. People who oppose Indigenous languages and their revitalization choose to contradict this evidence. They're denialists.
5/n
5/n
We need to think about how to oppose these denialists in the same way that we oppose genocide denialists and climate denialists. We need better understandings of who these denialists are and why they engage in this form of denial.
6/n
6/n
Read the full analysis here - and if you want to check out the data behind our analysis, we've made it available open access. Just follow the link the article.
/fin https://www.languageonthemove.com/indigenous-language-denialism-in-australia/
/fin https://www.languageonthemove.com/indigenous-language-denialism-in-australia/
