Preserving the Bisu Language: Progress to Date and Future Directions

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Authors: 
Issue Date: 
2002-07-30
Publisher: 
Payap Research and Development Institute and SIL International
Is Part Of Series: 
Technical Paper No. 183
Extent: 
33 pages
Abstract: 
Bisu, as spoken in Northern Thailand, boasts fewer than 1000 speakers. The low number of speakers plus constant pressure from the outside world qualifies Bisu as an endangered language. The Bisu themselves recognize this fact and their leadership has requested outside help in preserving their language and culture. This paper has three aims: 1. To describe the sociolinguistic situation in which the Bisu of Northern Thailand find themselves; 2. To chronicle efforts to preserve this endangered language through community involvement in the development of an orthography and basic reading materials; and 3. To assess the current progress of the project, highlighting future challenges that may be encountered in the course of preserving the Bisu language for future generations.
Publication Status: 
Published
Table of Contents: 
Abstract-- Table of Contents-- List of Figures-- 1. Introduction-- 2. Linguistic, historical, and sociolinguistic background-- 2.1 Location and related languages-- 2.2 Historical setting-- 2.3 Socioloinguistic situation-- 3. Writing Bisu-- 3.1 Can a monkey language be written?-- 3.2 Toward a Bisu orthography: underlying principles and practices-- 3.3 The 'Project for Preserving the Language of the Three Villages' orthography worshop-- 3.4 Producing a Bisu corpus-- 4. Future challenges-- 5. Conclusion-- References
Country: 
Thailand
Subject Languages: 
Content Language: 
Work Type: 
Nature of Work: 
Entry Number: 
60449