I think that because I want to go into the field of linguistic anthropology (ethnography) and language documentation of endangered languages I’m going to gear my site towards focusing on the lesser known languages of the world and those that actually need learning! There are TONS of links to sites where one can learn French, German, Spanish, Japanese, etc., but how many links are there to materials for learning lesser known languages or even languages in danger of going extinct. In the next century half of the worlds languages will die and it is our job to do something. I love languages and anyone who knows me knows that. I love talking about languages and sharing them with other people. I really do want to build my website to be a resource where people can come and find links to websites, videos, audio, articles, book recommendations, and whatever else there is out there so that we can all pitch in and save cultures that are being lost and memories that are being forgotten. With the help of The Ethnologue I’ll be able to transform this website into my dream. One giant database for endangered languages and endangered language learning!

This post is stored in the category of Linguistic Post, Made in France and was written by Derron Borders

Tags: endangered languages, English, ethnography, French, German, Japanese, language, Linguistic Anthropology, Linguistic Post, Spanish, The Ethnologue

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So, I haven’t written in a while and I thought that I should!

So as the city of Dax prepares for Christmas by hanging up snow flake lights and goblet-looking-type-thing lights and begins playing it’s Christmas and sometimes NOT so Christmas music (i.e. Akon) on loud speakers throughout the city on market days, I can’t help but feel that Christmas is coming. There won’t be any snow down here in Dax but since I will be in Paris for Chrismtas I may just have a white Christmas yet.

I had waited and put off my plans for Christmas and New Years and I’m ending up returning to Belgium and Paris. I’m going to Paris from the 23rd until the 26th and then to Belgium from the 26th to the 1st of January. I found a cheap Ryanair flight for 19,00€ after tax and baggage from Belgium to Pau, here in the south of France. I don’t think I will be seeing any of my host families this time around and I’m going with Will, the American assistant from Hawai’i and his friend who is visiting, Josh. We got a hotel in Brussels.

Nothing much has happened since I last posted. I’ve been teaching of course and I joined the local library and have been studying Basque, Romanian, and Occitan like crazy. I think I FINALLY decided on what I will go into. I plan on doing a Masters in Romance Linguistics at the University of Buffalo and then a PhD in Romance linguistics at the University of Berkeley. I’ll have to work hard in learning Spanish and Catalan (as well as Basque) next year so I will have Minority and Regional Romance language credit when I arrive at Berkeley, which will make me a stronger candidate for their program! I’m looking into doing a Gascon (Occitan) course here in Dax but we will see how that goes. In the future I would love to work with Non Profit Organizations which try to promote and protect minority and regional languages. I’m going to see if maybe I can get an internship with an association/organization here in Europe next year when I will be in Spain!

I’ve started the process of filling out the application to become an assistant in Spain! I’v really had to remember my Spanish and I wish I had kept up on it after all these years of not taking it! Hace casí 3 años!

Well that is all for now! Once I have my new camera I’ll upload a lot more pictures to my posts! Keep on the look out for a new podcast! I’ll eventually start doing them again! I have so much to gripe about here in France! Some possible topics are…

“Dehors! The French System of Discipline”

“Honk Honk! French Men and Their Lack of Respect Towards Women”

“The French Education System”

“The Language Assistant Program”

“Les Bises! A Cultural Minefield!”

This post is stored in the category of Linguistic Post, Made in France, Personal Post and was written by Derron Borders

Tags: Belgium, Berkely, Catalan, Christmas, Dax, Gascon, Made in France, Made in Spain, Occitan, Paris, Romance Linguistics, Romanian, Ryanair, Spanish, University of Buffalo NY, Will Stinton

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