Language Death

Language death is not mainstream theatre. It is not mainstream anything. Can you imagine Hollywood taking it on? It is so far outside the mindset of most people that they have difficulty appreciating what the crisis is all about because they are not used to thinking about language as an issue in itself. Somehow we need to change these mindsets. We need to get people thinking about language more explicitly, more intimately, more enthusiastically. Interest in language is certainly there, in the general population - most people are fascinated by such topics as where words come from, or what the origin of their town's name is, or whether their baby's name means anything; they are certainly prepared to Infinitum, and language games are often found on radio and television - but a willingness to focus that interest on general issues, a preparedness to take on board the emotion and drama inherent in the situation of language endangerment, is not something that happens much.