TED Talks Daily A history of Indigenous languages — and how to revitalize them | Lindsay Morcom
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Apr 14, 2020 
Lindsay Morcom, a passionate linguist and advocate for Indigenous heritage, sheds light on the dire state of Indigenous languages in North America. She discusses grassroots strategies utilized by the Anishinaabe people of Canada to revive their language and strengthen community identity. Morcom also delves into the historical trauma caused by residential schools, emphasizing the urgent need for policy changes to protect these languages. Through educational initiatives and community engagement, she outlines a hopeful path towards revitalizing Indigenous languages and cultures.
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Polysynthetic Language Structure
- Anishinaabemowin uses many morphemes to create long words, unlike English.
- This reveals differences in how languages structure and express information.
Color Perception Across Languages
- Color categorization varies across languages, shown by different interpretations of blue/green slides.
- Anishinaabemowin uses one word for both, revealing how language shapes perception.
Animate vs. Inanimate
- Anishinaabemowin marks words as animate or inanimate, including rocks as animate.
- This reflects the language's unique worldview and relationship with nature.