Hawaiian Language Hip Again

Here’s an interesting article about the resurgence of the Hawaiian language.

I’ve seeing similar instances of this phenomenon in other parts of the world. It seems that just when a culture is about to write off its native language for good, the next generation takes a liking to it. Is this enough of a liking to save the language forever? I’m not sure, but I’m glad to see these “minority” languages hanging in there.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

    Hawaiian is the only indigenous language in the United States that showed growth in the 2000 census, said Verlieann Leimomi Malina-Wright, vice principal of Anuenue school. About 200,000 of Hawaii’s 1.2 million people are of Native Hawaiian ancestry.

    Hawaiian is recognized, along with English, in the state Constitution as an official state language. Some lawmakers want to require that Hawaiian be used on government signs and in government documents, although two bills on the matter have stalled.

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