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Sorosoro, November 11, 2011
On the road to Greenland
Sorosoro has filmed in many sun-kissed countries but has yet to reach the lands of ice and extreme cold. The Arctic region is home to a number of indigenous languages, from Siberia through to Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. These are our first Arctic steps, exploring the Kalaallisut language.
Video
Linguist Lenore Grenoble gives a captivating lecture on Greenland, which recently gained even further autonomy, after a few centuries of Danish colonization. We learn that Kalaallisut, now an official language, is very present in Greenlandic daily life and especially in the education sphere.
Blog
Lenore Grenoble also signs an article this week titled “Language and identity in Greenland” underlining the strong attachment Greenlanders show towards their language – the only indigenous language spoken in the Arctic for which the number of speakers is actually increasing!
Soropedia
The picture would not be complete without a full description sheet on Kalaallisut, providing many details on the language and its variants.
Other videos this week
In Spanish, from Senegal to Gabon
Videos subtitled in Spanish keep coming in: this week a tale in Menik language (Senegal), the tale of poor Tama the Hyena, who specializes in misfortune.
Also on schedule, a report in Benga language on the traditional yet threatened activity of turtle fishing in Gabon.
And to end with, a short clip on words referring to body parts in Punu language, Gabon.
More info and dates
Agenda
December 8, 2011 – 6pm: The Sorosoro program marks its 3rd year of existence at Maison des Cultures du Monde, Paris, with a particular focus in India (including talks by Irène Frain, Anvita Abbi… and the screening of an independent Indian film, Yarwng). We’ll also be talking about Africa and Overseas France. Come out in numbers, the event is free and everyone is welcome!
November 27 – December 16, 2011: Langfest in Canberra, Australia, 3 weeks worth of conferences on languages.
News
October 31, 2011: AFP article on the last speakers of Patua, in Macau – the world’s largest gambling city, returned under Chinese jurisdiction in 1999 – having trouble surviving in this most unfavorable environment…
Word of the fortnight
A new word we’d like to have you work on, likely to exist in most of the world’s languages: two. Do feel free to throw in your translations!
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