Assessing language vitality: A case of Indigenous Kuwi
What is it about?
This article begins with a discussion about the endangered language situation in the present world, particularly in India, to highlight the urgent need for linguists' attention. Next, we examine the meaning(s) of the concepts 'Indigenous' and 'Minority' languages. Later, we focus on the causes of language endangerment in India. We have also given an Indigenous language profile of Andhra Pradesh, a state of India. After, we assess the Kuwi language using both UNESCO and EGIDS tools by examining their effectiveness, potentialities, and problems, and confirm Kuwi as one of the endangered languages of India.
Why is it important?
In the scenario of the present language situation in the world, or especially in India, increased research on endangered languages is necessary to maintain linguistic diversity. This article identifies the causes of language endangerment and emphasizes the need for language planning and documentation of endangered languages, using the case of the Kuwi language as an example.