Navajo Language Academy facts for kids
The Navajo Language Academy (NLA), also known in Navajo as Diné Bizaad Naalkaah, is a special group that helps protect and teach the Navajo language. It's a non-profit organization, which means it doesn't aim to make money. Instead, it focuses on education and supporting the Navajo language.
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The Navajo Language Academy started from ideas and workshops led by a famous linguist named Kenneth L. Hale in the 1970s. A linguist is someone who studies languages. The idea for the NLA became official after a meeting in 1978 about how to write the Navajo language correctly.
Who is Part of the NLA?
The NLA is made up of Navajo linguists and other people who care deeply about the language. Their main goal is to support scientific studies of the Navajo language. They also teach Navajo people, especially teachers, how to do their own language research. This helps teachers use important language books and materials.
How Does the NLA Help?
The NLA works with linguists and language instructors to train teachers who teach Navajo. Since 1998, they have held summer workshops every year. These workshops teach about the Navajo language itself, how language is used in real life (called applied linguistics), and general language studies. College students can even take these workshops for credit towards their degree.
Important People and Resources
The NLA has a group of leaders called a Board of Directors. A well-known Navajo linguist named Ellavina Perkins is on this board. The NLA also keeps a huge list of all the books and articles written about Navajo linguistics on its website. They also store all the important Navajo language materials collected by Ken Hale.
