To that end, linguistic ecology seeks to integrate many different levels of explanation, without privileging any single level above the rest. Many different disciplinary, artistic and mythic perspectives on language are taken as potential sources of insight on an extremely complex natural system that in turn is integrated, though the co-ordering of awareness and action in human cultural communities, with the full complexity of the living world.
Linguistic ecology is founded on the premises of critical realism, whose implications are explored in one of the papers below. Other papers explore ecological approaches to language planning at both the local and the global level. All of the papers in this list were written or co-authored by Mark Fettes.
The Linguistic Ecology of Education (PhD dissertation, University of Toronto, March 2000: title page, summary, and table of contents)
The Geostrategies of Interlingualism (November 1999)
(Un)Writing the Margins: Steps toward an Ecology of Language (February 1999)
Critical Realism and Ecological Psychology:
Foundations for a Naturalist Theory of Language Acquisition (January 1999)
Can Language Policy and Planning Become Interlingual? (May 1998)
The Challenge of Interlingualism: A Research Invitation (April 1998)
Stabilizing What? An Ecological Approach to Language Renewal (April 1997)
From the site introduction:
Ecolinguistics is a new branch of linguistics which investigates the role of language in the development and possible solution of ecological and environmental problems. For this, some ecolinguists use the concept of the eco-system metaphorically for l anguage world systems which they analyse with the help of concepts transferred from biological ecology.Ecolinguists criticize language on the levels of langue and parole and point out unecological language uses and "anthropocentrisms" which represent nature from the point of view of its usefulness for humans. In a wider understanding, the "growthism", "sexism", "classism" and "anthropocentrism" inherent in many languages and language uses are criticized.
Another important field of ecolinguistics is the research area of the relation between linguistic and biological diversity (two phenomena ecolinguists aim to preserve).
From the Statement of Purpose:
Terralingua has two basic purposes. First, to foster the perpetuation of the world's linguistic diversity in all its forms, regardless of political, demographic, or linguistic status, and to promote respect for linguistic human rights. Terralingua supports efforts by anyone, working anywhere, in favor of the world's linguistic diversity. Our emphasis is on diversity as a whole rather than endangerment, although we will be deeply involved in supporting the survival and revitalization of critically endangered forms of language. We work for linguistic diversity through a program of research, information, and advocacy.Terralingua's second basic purpose is to promote the investigation of the parallels and links between cultural diversity (of which linguistic diversity is an important part) and biological diversity, as well as the adoption of an integrated biocultural perspective on the conservation of diversity on Earth. We think that a better understanding of diversity will be gained through interdisciplinary inquiries involving people from a wide range of fields, both inside and outside the academic community.We seek to build bridges and synergies between groups and individuals working in support of the world's languages and cultures and those working to preserve species and ecosystems. We particularly wish to reach out to community-based groups and individuals working on "the front lines," to establish the partnerships that are at the heart of the Terralingua vision. We serve as a rallying point for those who share our beliefs and who want to join us in doing something.
From the author's self-presentation:
I study the development of "creoles" the way population geneticists approach speciation and the development of new species, taking into account the ecology of these processes and actually assigning it a determinative role. Common in my work are terms such as variation, feature competition, selection, selective advantage, founder population, founder principle, and adapt(ation). I analogize 'language' with 'species' (rather than 'organism'), idiolects with individuals, and structural features with genes. I assume that many changes in language happen in part because speakers accommodate each other, a concomitant of the largely lateral transmission of traits. What happens in language contact settings is not different in kind from what happens in the contact of idiolects; the development of creoles is just normal language change in sociohistorical conditions that promote focusing on language , rather than idiolectal, contact. An ecology-based model of markedness should help account for structural features that are selected into a creole, in ways that are applicable to the development of other new language varieties, for instance, North American varieties of English not associated with African Americans and indigenized Englishes.
From the author's self-presentation:
I believe that linguists should work with real speakers. I have carried out field work in Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Torres Straits, Northern Queensland, Northern New South Wales and outback areas of South Australia.I also believe that linguists should speak as many languages as fluently as possible. I speak four languages fluently, six others with some difficulty, and four "dead" languages.
My approach to linguistics is ecological. I look for interdependencies between language and the rest of the world. This is one way of justifying my numerous non linguistic interests which include permaculture, bee keeping, model railroads, cooking, wine making, firing steam locomotives and restorin classic cars.
For more on Mark Fettes's work, see Current Work.
Mail questions or comments to Mark Fettes.