Summary of Chinua Achebe's Interview with BBC

In this interview with BBC news, Chinua Achebe, discusses his childhood and the affects colonization has had on the Igbo culture and community.  In the beginning of the interview, Achebe talks about his life in Nigeria and the influence Christian missionaries and colonization had on the culture, especially regarding the oral traditions and the idea of how people communicate.  He states that the Igbo language is dying out and experiencing, what some linguists have called "language dispossession" (a term which was seen earlier in another article by David Nieto as well).
Furthermore, Achebe goes on to discuss that part of the reason the Igbo language is becoming extinct is due to the fact that younger generations have stopped speaking the language and performing the cultural rituals for fear of being seen as different, which is one of the reasons as to why colonialism has such a strong hold on the culture of the natives and the traditions that the indigenous people were born with.  As an author and advocate for the preservation of heritage and traditions, Achebe is starting a "literary movement" to combat the long lasting effects of colonization, by re-writing all of his books in the Igbo language, hoping too that other publishers and authors might go the same route and in essence catalyze a cultural movement.

Summary of David Nieto's Article

David Gonzalez Nieto's article entitled, "The Emperor's New Words: Language and Colonization" is a compelling and innovative article concerning colonialism and its effects on native populations, more specifically how it alters their identities and ways of communicating.  In a similar fashion to Mufwene's article, Nieto starts off by describing language as a living organism which is part of one's soul and in many ways is intrinsically linked to our identities. He goes on to discuss the fact that colonizers understood the essential role language plays in a community and how they would wield language as a type of weapon by forcing the natives to learn the "new", imposed language.
Furthermore, Nieto goes into detail discussing the concept of "re-naming" which is also known as "linguistic dispossession".  This type of communicative displacement leaves the indigenous population feeling dependent and inadequate compared to the colonizers, who in many ways seemed more advanced and elite in comparison.  In addition, Nieto gives examples of "linguistic dispossession" and how it was utilized by explorers when they started mapping out their "new" found land and giving new names to already established towns.  Overall, Nieto's article provides a multitude of examples concerning the metamorphosis of  everyday words and places and how colonialism affected not only one's communication skills, but also the culture as well.

Nieto, David Gonzalez (2007) "The Emperor’s New Words: Language and Colonization," Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-Knowledge: Vol. 5: Iss. 3, Article 21. 

Summary of Salikoko Mufwene's Article

Salikoko Mufwene's article entitled, "Colonization, Globalization, and the Future of Languages in the Twenty-first Century", depicts language as a living organism which is affected by multiple factors like the socio-economic structure of the environment, the diversity of the population, and its overall use within society.  Mufwene argues that if these elements are not conducive, the language could evolve to reflect the more dominant form of communication or could become totally extinct.  Furthermore, Mufwene makes the argument that these alterations, known as "language shifts"are directly linked to colonization and the globalization of our society.  Within his article, Mufwene first begins by defining the concept of language and the fact that when two languages converge, a type of Darwinism takes over and the ultimate endurance of a language depends on a type of survival of the fittest.  In addition, Mufwene makes the distinction between a language shift and language loss, with one meaning adaption while the other means extinction, an act which Mufwene refers to as a type of "linguicide".

The article then goes on to describe the three types of colonization: trade, settlement, and exploitation.  Each one has their own various affects on the native language and population, beginning with gradual changes and then leading to a complete domination of the indigenous culture and a total shift in the way people communicate, ultimately transitioning to a type of "monolingualism".  Overall, Mufwene's article conveys the transition of language and how our current economic and trade shifts have lead to a transition from English being the dominant language to Chinese (Mandarin), which substantiates his claims concerning language and the fact that a particular language's "vitality depends on the communicative behaviors of their speakers, who in turn respond adaptively to changes in their socio-economic ecologies" (2002).

Project Proposal

For my final linguistics project I would like to combine the two topics concerning "English and Empire" and "American English", to focus on my main argument regarding Colonization and Its Effects on Language.  I might also explore the concept of dead languages and how colonization played a role in the extinction of native tongues.  The medium in which I wish to present my project would be in the form of a Prezi, where I could convey any supplemental elements including images or short video clips to assist in explaining my findings.

Here are some of the sources I have looked into using:

Scholaraly Articles & Interviews:

"British Colonialism and Its Linguistc Consequences" by Walid M. Rihane
"I'm a Victim of Linguistc Colonialism" by Chinua Ahcebe
"Colonization, Globalization, and the Future of Languages in the Twenty First Century" by Salikoko Mufwene

Episode 33 Missionaries and Manuscripts

This podcast was very informational and provided a multitude of excellent facts which highlights not only the spread of Christianity, but also the evolution of both the spoken word and written texts.

https://prezi.com/wtbbgmlk_kwj/missionaries-and-manuscripts/