Dr Susie Kanshouwa: Traditional and modern multilingualism in Northeast India

Northeast India is one of most ethnolinguistically diverse regions in the world with over 200 languages from four different language families. Most people can speak either two or more languages. Multilingualism arose as a result of trade and cultural exchange between different communities in the past, and even led to the emergence of pidgins and creoles. However, at present many local languages are becoming endangered and facing threat of extinction due to globalization and urbanization. This talk will give a sociohistorical account of the languages of Northeast India. It will highlight the causes and factors of language shift and endangerment and talk about the need for (language) documentation, description and revitalization.