Joshua Fishman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joshua Fishman
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| שיקל פֿישמאַן | |
Fishman giving a speech about the Gaelic language at the University of Aberdeen
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| Born | July 18, 1926 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Died | March 1, 2015 (aged 88) |
| Nationality | American |
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| Occupation | Linguist |
| Children | David Fishman |
Joshua Fishman (Yiddish: שיקל פֿישמאַן — Shikl Fishman; July 18, 1926 – March 1, 2015) was an American linguist. A linguist is a scientist who studies language. He was an expert in the sociology of language, which looks at how language and society affect each other. He also studied language planning, bilingual education, and how language connects with different ethnic groups.
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Early Life and Education
Joshua Fishman, whose Yiddish name was Shikl, was born and grew up in Philadelphia. He went to public schools there. At the same time, he also studied Yiddish language at elementary and high school levels. His father often asked him and his siblings, "What did you do for Yiddish today?" This showed how important Yiddish was in their family.
He studied Yiddish at The Workmen's Circle Schools. These schools focused on learning the Yiddish language well. They also taught about Yiddish literature, history, and social topics. After high school, he attended the University of Pennsylvania with a special scholarship. He earned degrees in history and psychology there. Later, he got his PhD in social psychology from Columbia University in 1953. Joshua Fishman is the father of David Fishman.
Fishman's Career and Work
After finishing his studies, Joshua Fishman continued to learn Yiddish. He studied with Max Weinreich in 1948, a famous Yiddish scholar. During this time, he won an award from the YIVO (Institute for Yiddish Research). This award was for his paper about people who speak two languages.
In 1951, he started working as a research assistant. He worked for the Jewish Education Committee of New York. In December 1951, he married Gella Schweid. They both shared a strong dedication to the Yiddish language throughout their lives.
In 1953, he finished his PhD at Columbia University. His research looked at how American-born children felt about Americans. This was based on the type of education they received about their minority group.
Interestingly, the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team once asked him to announce part of a game in Yiddish. This was for a special "Jewish week" event. However, Shikl turned down the offer. He worried it would "make a mockery of Yiddish," meaning it would not treat the language with respect.
From 1955 to 1958, he taught about the sociology of language. He taught at the City College of New York. At the same time, he led research at the College Board. In 1958, he became a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Later, he became a professor at Yeshiva University in New York. There, he also served as a dean and academic vice president. In 1966, he was named a Distinguished University Research Professor.
After 1988, he became a professor emeritus, meaning he retired but kept a connection to the university. He also taught at other universities around the world. These included Stanford University, New York University, and the City University of New York. He also held special positions at places like the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.
Impact on Language Studies
Joshua Fishman wrote over 1000 articles and books. His work covered many topics related to language. He wrote about multilingualism (speaking many languages) and bilingual education (learning in two languages). He also studied the history of the Yiddish language. Other topics included language planning and how to help languages that are disappearing. This is called reversing language shift or language revival. He also explored how language connects with nationalism and religion.
Fishman started and edited a book series called "Contributions to the Sociology of Language." This series helped share new ideas in the field.
One of his most important ideas was the Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (GIDS). He created this scale to figure out if languages are in danger of disappearing. The GIDS helps experts understand how much a language is being used by different generations. A newer version, the Enhanced GIDS, is used by Ethnologue, a major language resource.
According to Ghil'ad Zuckermann, Fishman created a platform for new ideas in language studies. He helped bring together different ways of thinking about language. Zuckermann also said that Fishman's work combined Jewish studies with general language studies. He explained that Jewish languages like Yiddish are good examples of how languages change when different groups interact. This helped the study of language in society grow.
Special Honors and Awards
Joshua Fishman received many honors for his work. In 1991, two special publications called Festschriften were made to celebrate his 65th birthday. These books were filled with articles by his colleagues. They honored his interests and contributions to language studies.
In 1999, Fishman received the Itzik Manger Prize. This award is given for important contributions to Yiddish literature and culture. In 2004, he was given the Linguapax Prize. This prize recognizes people who promote linguistic diversity and peace.
On September 10, 2006, the University of Pennsylvania held a special event to celebrate his 80th birthday. Joshua Fishman passed away in the Bronx, New York, on March 1, 2015. He was 88 years old.
Archives
In 1994, Stanford University Libraries created the 'Joshua A. Fishman and Gella Schweid Fishman Family Archives'. An archive is a collection of historical documents and records. This archive contains many items related to Fishman's work. These include drafts of his books and articles, notes from his classes, and speeches he gave. It also has his professional and family letters, photographs, and audio and video recordings.
See also
In Spanish: Joshua Fishman para niños
