This workshop will bring together experts working to define new research topics of particular relevance to Native American social scientists. Language is a critical component of human societies, and so it has an important place in the social sciences. For Native Americans, this emphasis on language has led to an upsurge in revitalization programs. Language Learning in Native American Revitalization Programs (LLiNARP) addresses the current low percentage of underrepresented minorities in social science research. The many language revitalization programs developed by Native American communities have opened a new area of research in language acquisition and linguistic theory. These programs are of high relevance to Native Americans, and this workshop will help promote the work of active Native American social scientists and bring new researchers into collaborations and projects that have yet to materialize.
The aims of the workshop are to define new research topics within linguistics that will involve Native American researchers, to explore the ways in which language acquisition in revitalization programs differs from other situations, and to engage federal and private funders in a discussion of how these new topics will fulfill their missions. The broader impacts will include enhanced tools and theories for documenting and reviving languages; revitalization often depends heavily on previous documentation, and its use is more effective when its assumptions and implications are better understood. Revitalization programs have positive health benefits for the communities involved, and better guidelines for creating successful programs should lead to further benefits.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
