The Role of Pronunciation in SENĆOŦEN Language Revitalization

Abstract

Most Indigenous language revitalization programs in Canada currently emphasize spoken language. However, virtually no research has been done on the role of pronunciation in the context of language revitalization. This study set out to gain an understanding of attitudes around pronunciation in the SENĆOŦEN-speaking community, in order to determine what role pronunciation should play in language revitalization and how best to strike a balance between remaining faithful to the Elders’ ways of speaking and allowing the language to change as new generations become fluent. The survey clearly showed that pronunciation is very important to the SENĆOŦEN language community, as a means of supporting communication as well as for cultural and social reasons. Several specific areas of concern came up with respect to pronunciation, as did more general challenges to learning SENĆOŦEN. Addressing pronunciation challenges involves two broad strategies: raising awareness about the types of variation considered acceptable in the SENĆOŦEN-speaking community, and addressing the types of variation that can be corrected with appropriate support. These views will lay the foundation for future pronunciation-related work on SENĆOŦEN, facilitating ongoing collaborative projects between community-based teachers and learners and university-based linguists.