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Article: Rescuing Rama: The fight to keep a dying Indian language alive. (Originated from Knight-Ridder Newspapers)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- February 4, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1995 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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RAMA CAY, Nicaragua _ Linguists are fighting a phenomenon they call ``language death'' among the Rama Indians living on a tiny island along Nicaragua's Atlantic coast.
The Rama Indians number fewer than 1,000, and most of them speak English, which was promoted by missionaries more than a century ago. Only two dozen or so can speak their native language, sometimes haltingly.
The two best speakers of the Rama language speak it ``only when they are intoxicated,'' lamented Nora Rigby, 70, who teaches the language but says she is not fully fluent.
A project is under way to rescue Rama and teach it to the children living on this coconut palm-studded island. ...