Expert warns –Purists threaten language revival

Internationally acclaimed Indigenous language revival expert Professor Ghil’ad Zuckermann warned that language purists are hindering Indigenous language revival around the world.  

There are two major threats to language revival,” Professor Zuckermann said. “The first is from those who say we must all learn English,” Professor Zuckermann said. “This view is simply wrong and outdated.” 

He said the latest threat is from people who try to stop language revival because they think it is not spoken exactly the way it once was.  

“They would rather the language die than change to meet the needs of modern community,” he said.  

“This attitude is just as dangerous as wanting everyone to learn only English.” 

Professor Zuckermann said lessons could be learnt from language journey of his homeland, Israel. Israeli’s wanted to revitalise Hebrew, but there were no fluent speakers. So they used grammar from Yiddish – a language with fluent speakers – and inserted traditional Hebrew words.  

The result is the modern Israeli Hebrew.  

“It is not the same as original Hebrew,” Professor Zuckermann said. “But Israel now has its own language that can be spoken in the parliament, the courts and by the people. That is language revival.” 

Professor Zuckermann said this is the path that needs to be taken by any language that wants to have revival, where no fluent speakers are still living and where the historic notes on the grammar are not complete. This is the situation most Aboriginal languages are in today. 

Professor Ghil’ad Zuckermann is listed among Australia's top 30 'living legends' of research by The Australian newspaper (2024). He received the Rubinlicht Prize for life achievement in Yiddish research in 2023.  

Professor Zuckermann’s views and experiences in language revival are contained in his book ‘Revivalistics’.