奄美沖永良部島における言語再活性化の取り組み

抄録

In this article, I introduce the concept of Action Research as a promising approach in the field of language revitalization, and refer to language revitalization activities on Ryukyu-Okinoerabu Island such as (1) Offering information through local seminars or newspapers; (2) Developing teaching materials; (3) Opening language classrooms; and (4) Creating a website. Although the activities on Okinoerabu Island have achieved certain results in terms of offering information and the provision of language materials, there are also future challenges regarding activities that help to promote local autonomy such as the teaching of dialect in classrooms. In terms of reorganizing these activities, local practitioners will need to take a central role right from the start when planning projects to ensure they take account of local needs. In addition, it is necessary to review the evaluation and assessment methods used in language revitalization research.