#Language preservation

[womenaremypriority]

Interested in linguistics? Want to watch a bunch of lovely, everyday women talking with not much else happening? Do I have the youtube channel for you!

This one is too short 😭 ^

The woman here talks at the start but spends most of the video singing, it’s beautiful

Thankfully this video is so long!

This one is so surreal for me because the rhythm and tone and whatnot are so English-sounding but it’s very much not English.

This is so soothing. She reads a book near the end and the way her voice drifts from English to Shetlandic is soooo lovely.

This is so long! I knew this channel was a blessing but most videos are quite short, it’s so amazing when they’re able to get a lot. Unfortunately only a few of these have optional subtitles to turn on, either in the language being spoken or English. There are auto-generated ones but I’d imagine those are quite inaccurate. I believe they’re looking for more translators to help, however.

This is an odd post but I genuinely just love these videos and watching them. Especially when they’re women, I love how different and interesting women are. I had to share because I know radblr is full of smart women who are interested in supporting other women.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

A five-year, $15-million funding commitment from the federal government will help give the Michif language "a chance to survive and to prosper," the Manitoba Métis Federation says. The federation and the federal government formally announced the funding agreement at the Manitoba Métis Federation office in Winnipeg on Thursday afternoon. Michif, a Métis language spoken in parts of Canada and the U.S. that combines elements of Cree, French and other languages, is "critically endangered," the Métis Federation says.

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Tagging: @newsfromstolenland

[salvadorbonaparte]

I just watched "mal-mo-e: the secret mission" and if you're interested in dictionaries, language preservation and fighting colonialism this is the film for you. it's about the creation of the first Korean dictionary under Japanese rule.

[dontforgetukraine]

russia has damaged around 1,000 Ukrainian libraries and ruined around 200 million Ukrainian books since 2022.

[phonaesthemes]

Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk was 22 years old in 1953 when Catholic missionaries in Nunavik, the Inuit homeland in what is now northern Quebec, came to her asking for help in learning her native language. Nappaaluk started by writing down sentences in Inuktitut syllabics, using as many words as she could find. She eventually let her mind wander and started inventing characters, imagining the life of an independent young woman named Sanaaq. Nappaaluk ended up working on the story for more than 20 years, while also raising seven children, working as a teacher and spending summers in the family’s hunting camp. The writing was interrupted by two trips south to receive treatment for tuberculosis — the first a five-year stint, the second for six months — during the TB epidemic of the 1950s and ‘60s. When Nappaaluk returned to Nunavik, it was rapidly changing, as southern business interests, agents for the federal government and missionaries reshaped life in the North. She worked her impressions of these changes into the story. The result was Sanaaq, the first novel written in Inuktitut syllabics in Canada. It was published in Inuktitut in 1984 and has since been translated into both French and English. It is considered a classic of Inuit literature.

[dayofethnicityorreligion]

The Virjal (Chuvash: Вирьял, Russian: Вирьял) are a historical ethnographic subgroup of the Chuvash people, traditionally living in the northern and northwestern territories of the Chuvash Republic and adjacent regions. They are distinguished from other Chuvash subgroups by particular linguistic, cultural, anthropological, and geographical characteristics. The term "Virjal" is often translated as "upper" or "highlanders," reflecting their historical settlement in elevated forest-steppe and forested zones, in contrast to their southern counterparts, the Anatri (meaning "lower" or "lowlanders").

The name "Virjal" derives from the Chuvash words вир (vir) meaning "upper" or "high," and ял (yal) meaning "community" or "people." The name reflects their geographic position relative to the Anatri, who inhabit the lower, more southern parts of the Chuvash lands. In Russian ethnographic sources, the Virjal are often referred to as "upper Chuvash" or "hill Chuvash" (верховые чуваши).

Historically, the Virjal were concentrated in the northern districts of the Chuvash Republic, particularly in the regions bordering the Mari El Republic and the Republic of Tatarstan. Their settlements were typically located along the middle and upper reaches of the Volga River and its tributaries, such as the Tsivil and the Sura rivers. In addition to the modern Chuvash Republic, Virjal communities could also be found in parts of the Nizhny Novgorod, Ulyanovsk, and Kirov oblasts.

The natural landscape of the Virjal territory is more forested and hilly compared to the steppe regions of the Anatri. This environmental difference significantly influenced their agricultural practices, settlement patterns, and even aspects of their material culture.

The Virjal are part of the broader Chuvash ethnos, which itself emerged from the historical amalgamation of various Finno-Ugric, Turkic, and possibly Iranian-speaking groups in the Volga-Kama region. The Chuvash are considered the only surviving descendants of the Oghuric branch of Turkic peoples, specifically linked to the Volga Bulgars who settled along the Volga River following the collapse of Old Great Bulgaria in the 7th century CE.

While the Chuvash as a whole trace their lineage to this Bulgar legacy, the Virjal, due to their geographic isolation and historical contacts, exhibit influences from Finno-Ugric groups, particularly the Mari and Udmurt. Anthropological and linguistic studies have confirmed that the Virjal subgroup exhibits more Finno-Ugric substratal influence than the Anatri, especially in dialect and certain cultural practices.

The Virjal dialect is a northern variety of the Chuvash language, which is the only extant member of the Oghur (or Lir) branch of the Turkic language family. The Virjal dialect is characterized by distinctive phonetic, lexical, and morphological features that set it apart from the southern Anatri dialect, which forms the basis of the standard Chuvash literary language.

Phonological features of the Virjal dialect include:

A tendency toward greater vowel harmony.

Preservation of certain archaic vowel and consonant sounds.

A more limited influence from Tatar loanwords compared to the southern dialects.

Lexical distinctions include a larger corpus of Finno-Ugric substrate vocabulary and specific words for local flora, fauna, and cultural practices.

Linguists studying Chuvash dialectology have often regarded the Virjal dialect as more conservative or "archaic," preserving features that have been lost or altered in the Anatri dialect. However, due to historical marginalization and the standardization of the Anatri dialect, the Virjal speech forms have been underrepresented in modern literature and education.

The traditional clothing of the Virjal exhibits distinct features from that of the Anatri. Women's garments typically include long tunics adorned with intricate embroidery, often in red, black, and white patterns, featuring motifs of ancient symbolic meaning such as the solar sign and the tree of life. Headwear and jewelry also differ; for example, Virjal women traditionally wore a headdress known as tushpan, which could differ markedly in shape and ornamentation from the kalmauk worn by Anatri women.

Men’s clothing was also adapted to the northern climate, including woolen garments and tall boots made for forested and uneven terrain.

Virjal folklore preserves numerous archaic elements. Their mythological system includes a pantheon of spirits and deities closely tied to nature, household, and ancestral domains. Their rituals often blend Turkic, Finno-Ugric, and pre-Christian animistic elements, with significant traces of the pre-Islamic Bulgar religion and later Orthodox Christian influence.

Important traditional festivals include:

Surhuri: A winter festival with elements of agrarian magic and ancestral veneration.

Akatuy: A spring sowing festival.

Semik and Trinity Days: Celebrations that blend Orthodox Christian and pagan customs.

Music and dance play a central role in community events. The Virjal maintain a repertoire of traditional songs, many of which are performed in a style involving pentatonic scales and polyphonic elements—traits suggesting ancient origins.

Virjal communities were historically known for their textile arts, especially weaving and embroidery. Wood carving and pottery also featured prominently in their material culture, often decorated with motifs tied to cosmology and clan identity.

House construction followed traditional patterns suited to the northern forest-steppe environment, with log houses (izbas) incorporating specific architectural elements such as carved gables and decorative shutters.

Anthropologically, the Virjal have been studied in the context of broader Volga region populations. Physical anthropologists have noted that Virjal individuals often exhibit features typical of the so-called Uralic or Finno-Ugric anthropological type, including lighter pigmentation, a brachycephalic skull shape, and shorter stature on average. These traits contrast with the more "southern" features found among the Anatri.

Some scholars have interpreted these differences as evidence of greater genetic admixture with Finno-Ugric populations like the Mari, who are long-standing neighbors of the Virjal. These findings are corroborated by mitochondrial DNA studies indicating a greater frequency of haplogroups common among Finno-Ugric peoples.

The Virjal traditionally practiced a syncretic form of spirituality that included elements of pre-Christian animism, ancestral worship, and naturalistic deities. Following the expansion of the Russian Empire and missionary activities in the 16th–18th centuries, many Virjal communities converted to Eastern Orthodoxy. However, conversion was often superficial, and many traditional beliefs and rituals persisted in parallel, a phenomenon known as "dual faith" (dvoeverie in Russian).

Shrines to household and nature spirits (e.g., keremet) continued to be venerated, and oral prayers and sacrificial rites were passed down through generations. Even in the modern period, remnants of these traditional religious practices can be found in rural Virjal communities.

The Virjal were traditionally engaged in a mixed economy suited to the northern Chuvash landscape. Agriculture played a central role, with the cultivation of rye, barley, millet, and later potatoes and oats. The forested areas also supported hunting, beekeeping, and foraging.

Livestock breeding, particularly of cattle, pigs, and poultry, was common. Handicrafts, including cloth production and carpentry, were also vital to the local economy, especially during the long winters when farming activities subsided.

Trade with neighboring ethnic groups, including the Mari, Russians, and Tatars, facilitated cultural exchange and economic interdependence. However, economic disparities and geographic isolation sometimes led to periods of hardship, especially during the Russian Empire’s serfdom period and the Soviet collectivization campaigns.

During the Soviet period, the Virjal, like other Chuvash subgroups, experienced significant changes due to collectivization, industrialization, and educational reforms. Many traditional practices were suppressed or transformed under ideological pressure. The standardization of the Chuvash language based on the Anatri dialect further marginalized Virjal linguistic identity.

Despite these pressures, elements of Virjal identity have survived into the 21st century, particularly in rural communities. Cultural revival efforts in the post-Soviet period have led to renewed interest in local dialects, crafts, festivals, and oral traditions. However, challenges remain, including language endangerment and assimilation.

In modern times, the Virjal are not recognized as a separate ethnic group but are considered part of the broader Chuvash nation. Nonetheless, scholarly attention to their distinct cultural and linguistic characteristics continues, and local cultural initiatives often promote their unique heritage.

The Virjal represent a vital and richly distinct component of the Chuvash ethnos. Their history, shaped by geography, ethnolinguistic contact, and cultural resilience, offers valuable insights into the diversity of the Volga region. Continued documentation and support for their traditions are essential to preserving this heritage within the framework of the modern Chuvash Republic and the Russian Federation as a whole.

[sarahthecoat]

Language City

if you are interested in endangered languages, and at least one effort to document them, this program is a treat. five short episodes, each one fascinating. I think it's airing for just 30 days from today.

[sefaradweb]

Learning Ladino

Ladino, also referred to as Judeo-Spanish or Judezmo, serves as the linguistic heritage of Sephardic Jews, or Sepharadim, descending from the Iberian Peninsula, which encompasses present-day Spain and Portugal. Following their expulsion from Spain in 1492, Sepharadim dispersed throughout the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and beyond, predominantly finding refuge in the Ottoman Empire. It was within this diverse cultural milieu that Ladino emerged, blending Spanish and other Iberian languages with a robust infusion of Hebrew-Aramaic elements, while also incorporating linguistic influences from the surrounding Mediterranean regions such as Turkish, Greek, Italian, French, and Arabic. Embracing versatility, Ladino became the language of everyday life, spanning from domestic settings to public spaces like markets and synagogues, and encompassing various aspects of culture including humor, politics, and literature.

[between-the-kola-and-the-sea]

Klao Lesson #1: Numerals + Counting!

For your first lesson, let's off with something easy: how to count or slɛ̀!

One - Dôɛ Two - Sɔ́n Three - tan Four - nyìɛ̀ Five - Mù

My favorite thing about Kru is that it is a base five language. This means every value after five is modified with five as the root. For example, instead of "five (mù)" being followed by "six," it is followed by "five plus one (mùnéɛ́do)". Néɛ́ is your modifier. Think of it as saying "plus" in your number. The notable exception is "nine(sopádo)".

Six - mùnéɛ́do Seven - mùnéɛ́sɔ́n Eight - mùnéɛ́tan Nine - sopádo

When you reach ten, you get a new value (puɛ). You start again from ten, the modifier, and your values up to ten.

Ex: 12 is Puɛnéɛ́do, while 18 is Puɛnéɛ́mùnéɛ́tan.

Ten - Puɛ Eleven - Puɛnéɛ́do Twelve - Puɛnéɛ́sɔ́n Thirteen - Puɛnéɛ́tan Fourteen - Puɛnéɛ́nyìɛ̀ Fifteen - Puɛnéɛ́mù Sixteen - Puɛnéɛ́mùnéɛ́do Seventeen - Puɛnéɛ́mùnéɛ́sɔn Eighteen - Puɛnéɛ́mùnéɛ́tan Nineteen - Puɛnéɛ́sopahdo

It may look tedious but the rule is fairly simple.

This rule continues into the rest of the tens values with a twist, so pay attention:

Ten and Twenty are the only unique tens values with their own unique root. The rest of the tens are multiples of twenty with ten added to them if they're odd. So 40 is 20 x 2, while 70 is 20 x 3 + 10. From there, you follow the same steps as in the tens. So your new number construction is as follows: Wlòh (sɔ́n or nyìɛ̀) néɛ́ puɛ (ones value).

Here is a series of twenty to best explain:

Twenty - Wlòh Twenty-one - Wlòhnéɛ́dôɛ Twenty-two - Wlòhnéɛ́sɔ́n Twenty-three - Wlòhnéɛ́tan Twenty-four - Wlòhnéɛ́nyìɛ̀ Twenty-five - Wlòhnéɛ́mù Twenty-six - Wlòhnéɛ́mùnéɛ́do Twenty-seven - Wlòhnéɛ́mùnéɛ́sɔ́n Twenty-eight - Wlòhnéɛ́mùnéɛ́tan Twenty-nine - Wlòhnéɛ́sopádo Thirty - Wlòhnéɛ́puɛ (20 + 10)

There's even bigger numbers of course. But the get slightly easier.

100 - wlòhmù (20 x 5) 200 - wlòhpuɛ (20 x 10) 1000 - fug͡bɛ̀ 2000 - fug͡bɛ̀ sɔ́n (1000 x 2)

Think you got all that? Great! Practice with this Quizlet!

[roggnar]

Learning Icelandic can be difficult, and so in some posts I make - I plan on adding English sounds underneath the words. Spoken Icelandic is different than written Icelandic and I hope it helps people learn pronunciation better! As well as adding a little explanation underneath for a deeper understanding of the language.

Example:

Ég skil ekki (Ye skill ehhkey) “I don’t understand”

The g after the letter é is often so soft it might as well be silent.

The “ehh” is because before a double letter, you must let out a breath or else it becomes a different word! If you were to say “eggi” or “ehgi” then you’re saying the word egg, not “don’t” - so it is always better to over exaggerate this breath than not do it at all, or else you’re saying “I egg understand.”

A single L is often a long L sound when it is at the end of a word.

[womenaremypriority]

this is (one of) my favorite youtube channels

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The galaxy of Star Wars is expanding once again as plans take shape to translate the original 1977 Hollywood hit into the Ojibwe language. Lucasfilm, the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council and the University of Manitoba said they’ve reached an agreement to record a dubbed Ojibwe version of Star Wars: A New Hope. The first film in George Lucas’ popular sci-fi series introduces many of the beloved characters, including Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca.

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Tagging @politicsofcanada

[languagexs]

Exploring the Rich Language Diversity of Algeria: Standard

Opening Algeria’s Berber Language Tapestry Algeria’s rich cultural fabric is intricately woven with diverse linguistic threads, each one a vibrant strand contributing to the nation’s unique identity. Among these linguistic gems lies Standard Algerian Berber, a standardized variety of the Berber language that has gained prominence in recent years.This essay explores the fascinating realm of…

[nashvillehotchicken]

ok this fucks

[dontforgetukraine]

"Russian-ruined cultural and educational institutions urgently need fiction, educational and historical literature. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian forces have destroyed or damaged nearly a thousand libraries, resulting in the loss of over 200 million Ukrainian books. Our mission is to restore these library collections as fully as possible and make it a national priority."

—Taras Kremin, State Language Protection Commissioner

Source: Ukraine's language commissioner reveals number of libraries destroyed by Russia since the start of full-scale invasion

[polyglotabc]

Beyond Just Hand Gestures

Discover the vibrant world of Deaf culture and the rich language of sign language in our latest post, a journey into the heart of a unique and diverse community.

Exploring the Depths of Sign Language Introduction The Multidimensional Nature of Sign Language Hand Gestures: The Foundation Facial Expressions: The Emotional Context Body Language: The Supporting Pillar The Diversity of Sign Languages The Role of Culture in Sign Language Technology and Sign Language Conclusion Summary Further Reading Book Recommendations Featured…