By GINNIE GRAHAM
Tulsa World
2/9/2003
A study of Cherokee language literacy shows that the tribe is about one generation away from the language becoming extinct in daily, fluent use.
A grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Native Americans allowed the Cherokee Nation to assess the status of the language and determine a plan for improvement.
"All tribes are losing their language at a rapid rate," said Margaret Raymond, the tribe's development director. "We found we are one or, maybe, two generations from having the Cherokee language extinct."
The study showed that no tribal member younger than 40 is conversational in Cherokee, and most fluent speakers are 60 and older.
Of the participants in the study, 64 percent do not understand any Cherokee, and 1 percent are considered to be at the top level of understanding the language.
About 81 percent of former speakers stopped using the language before or while attending elementary school.
Children of fluent or conversational speakers do not speak the language, and about 17 percent of Cherokee speakers use the language in the home.
"Given this context, it can be surmised that, unless something drastic is done to reverse the language shift, there will be few fluent speakers of Cherokee within the next 30 years or so," the study stated.
"Thus, the Cherokee language is very close to extinction."
Results from the survey have been used to develop a 10-year plan to preserve and revitalize the language. Twelve strategies and 42 steps have been recommended.
The strategies are:
Create informal learning opportunities in the home and communities.
Develop a language immersion school for ages preschool through sixth grade.
Increase the quantity and quality of language classes in local school districts.
Expand language instruction for intermediate and advanced students.
Create master-apprentice opportunities for adult students.
Define language degree requirements and certification standards for language teachers.
Collaborate with higher education institutions to increase the number of academically trained language teachers.
Evaluate academic instruction and modify it to meet the changing needs of students.
Document and archive the written and spoken forms of the language.
Establish an archival system to preserve the language.
Assess the instructional needs of local programs and develop curricula.
Create teaching materials and evaluate them.
The survey showed that 77 percent of the non-speakers said they would like to learn how to speak the language, and 72 percent of those who speak the language reported wanting to improve their skills.About 99 percent of the participants said that preserving the Cherokee language is important, and 95 percent of those said preservation was "very important."
Participants said the most important reason for language preservation is to "maintain and preserve Cherokee culture, cultural identity and heritage."
Less that 1 percent said language preservation was not important.