What is a language legacy?

Short Answer #

A language legacy is the body of language knowledge, resources, recordings, stories, and teachings that one generation leaves for the next.

Expanded Answer #

Every generation contributes something to the future. In language revitalization, that contribution often takes the form of knowledge preservation. A language legacy may include:

• Recordings
• Stories
• Dictionaries
• Educational resources
• Cultural teachings
• Community archives
• Published materials

The individuals collecting language resources today may never fully experience the benefits of all the work they undertake. Future generations may benefit even more. A recording collected by an Elder today may teach a child fifty years from now. A story documented today may become part of a curriculum decades into the future. Language revitalization is often an act of intergenerational responsibility. The work is not only for ourselves. It is also for those who come after us.