Post by Rareclan on Apr 17, 2011 10:59:21 GMT 10
Last two speakers of native language fall out and stop talking to each other
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1376757/Ayapaneco-Last-2-fluent-dying-language-speaking-other.html
by David Collins, Daily Mirror 15/04/2011
WHEN conversation dries up between two men, it can often kill the atmosphere stone-dead.
But when Manuel Segovia, 75, and Isidro Velazquez, 69, stopped speaking to each other there was a great deal more at stake – because they have virtually killed off an entire language.
The pair live less than half a mile apart in a village in Mexico and are the only two people in the world fluent in the ancient language of Ayapaneco.
It has been spoken in Mexico for centuries and has survived the Spanish Conquest, seen off wars, revolutions, famines and floods.
However, Manuel and Isidro are no longer on speaking terms “because they don’t have much in common”. And that spells disaster for Ayapaneco.
Speaking from his home village of Ayapa in southern Mexico, Manuel said yesterday: “When I was a boy everybody spoke the language.
“It’s disappeared little by little and now I suppose it might die with me.”
He denied any ill-feeling to Isidro and he continues to speak to his wife and son in his native tongue. However, they know only a few words and cannot speak back. Manuel also used to converse in the language with his brother but he died 10 years ago.
It is not believed that Isidro speaks it at all any more.
Daniel Suslak, an Indiana University linguistic expert who is compiling a dictionary of the language, said: “It’s a really sad story, but you have to be really impressed by how long the language has hung around.”
He said the two men “don’t have much in common” as Manuel is “a little prickly”, while Isidro is “more stoic”.
FORBIDDEN
The language’s biggest decline came in the mid-20th century.
For several decades, children were explicitly forbidden from speaking anything other than Spanish.
Then in the 1970s people started moving from the country to cities and it has gradually faded away since.
Both men call the language Nuumte Oote, meaning True Voice.
However, even they have slightly different variants and cannot agree on some words – so Mr Suslak is compiling a dictionary with both versions.
Classes are planned to revive the language but local enthusiasm is believed to be low. Guys, it’s down to you. Have a chat – for old time’s sake.
Read more: www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-world/2011/04/15/last-two-speakers-of-native-language-fall-out-and-stop-talking-to-each-other-115875-23061845/#ixzz1JjmGglUD
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1376757/Ayapaneco-Last-2-fluent-dying-language-speaking-other.html
by David Collins, Daily Mirror 15/04/2011
WHEN conversation dries up between two men, it can often kill the atmosphere stone-dead.
But when Manuel Segovia, 75, and Isidro Velazquez, 69, stopped speaking to each other there was a great deal more at stake – because they have virtually killed off an entire language.
The pair live less than half a mile apart in a village in Mexico and are the only two people in the world fluent in the ancient language of Ayapaneco.
It has been spoken in Mexico for centuries and has survived the Spanish Conquest, seen off wars, revolutions, famines and floods.
However, Manuel and Isidro are no longer on speaking terms “because they don’t have much in common”. And that spells disaster for Ayapaneco.
Speaking from his home village of Ayapa in southern Mexico, Manuel said yesterday: “When I was a boy everybody spoke the language.
“It’s disappeared little by little and now I suppose it might die with me.”
He denied any ill-feeling to Isidro and he continues to speak to his wife and son in his native tongue. However, they know only a few words and cannot speak back. Manuel also used to converse in the language with his brother but he died 10 years ago.
It is not believed that Isidro speaks it at all any more.
Daniel Suslak, an Indiana University linguistic expert who is compiling a dictionary of the language, said: “It’s a really sad story, but you have to be really impressed by how long the language has hung around.”
He said the two men “don’t have much in common” as Manuel is “a little prickly”, while Isidro is “more stoic”.
FORBIDDEN
The language’s biggest decline came in the mid-20th century.
For several decades, children were explicitly forbidden from speaking anything other than Spanish.
Then in the 1970s people started moving from the country to cities and it has gradually faded away since.
Both men call the language Nuumte Oote, meaning True Voice.
However, even they have slightly different variants and cannot agree on some words – so Mr Suslak is compiling a dictionary with both versions.
Classes are planned to revive the language but local enthusiasm is believed to be low. Guys, it’s down to you. Have a chat – for old time’s sake.
Read more: www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-world/2011/04/15/last-two-speakers-of-native-language-fall-out-and-stop-talking-to-each-other-115875-23061845/#ixzz1JjmGglUD
Happy New Years Everybody!!!
