Nuxawiš: unwilling to give up - HeVo 87

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On today’s episode, Jessica talks with Maura Sullivan (PhD student in Linguistics at Tulane University; Irish-American, Chumash and Mexican heritage, and an enrolled member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation). Maura gives Jessica a crash course in many different language topics such as the difference between language work and linguistics, what is a minoritized language, and how you can revive a language in ways other than with fluent speakers (such as the Breath of Life program). She emphasizes the need for structural changes to support language work, but also some ways that we can all be better relatives and give back on an individual level. Maura also described varying creative methods to support language work, including how she incorporates her art, provides intra-community language materials, as well as making the Šmuwič language more visible where appropriate.

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