Arunachal Pradesh: TLF Leads Efforts to Preserve Indigenous Linguistic Heritage

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itanagar: The Tani Language Foundation (TLF) is actively working to preserve and revitalize the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Tani people, an indigenous community from Northeast India.

The foundation focuses on documenting endangered languages, creating resources for linguistic studies, and ensuring that the Tani languages, which are a vital part of the community’s identity, are not lost over time.

One of TLF’s key initiatives is the development of a “Living Dictionary” in collaboration with the Living Tongues Foundation. This project aims to document Tani languages and provide a valuable resource for researchers, educators, and the community.

Additionally, TLF is partnering with the Endangered Language Foundation to deepen linguistic research and implement strategies for the protection and revival of these languages.

The foundation is also working with NEIIPA of Nagaland’s Tetsuo College to create a language archive.

To ensure the authenticity and diversity of their studies, TLF collects linguistic and cultural data directly from remote villages. They have also introduced creative methods to promote language learning and pride, such as dubbing popular cartoons and anime into Tani languages, which has resonated well with younger audiences.

TLF’s efforts are strengthened by collaborations with experts and organizations, including Delhi IIT’s Dr. Anujeema Saikia and Alessandro David, a linguistics student from the USA. Their insights have played a key role in shaping the foundation’s initiatives.

Highlighting the importance of community involvement, TLF emphasizes that its mission cannot succeed in isolation.

It urges for greater participation from local communities and support from the media to raise awareness and mobilize resources for preserving the Tani people’s linguistic heritage.

Also Read: Preserving indigenous languages: Efforts to maintain linguistic diversity

Also Watch: