Worlds of Difference: Finding a Voice
From Homelands Productions
| Part of the Worlds of Difference series
| 00:59:00
Producers: Homelands Productions for NPR
More than half the languages spoken around the world today will be gone before the century is over. What does that mean for the people who speak them? What does that mean for the rest of us? This hour explores the connections between language and identity at a time of dizzying linguistic and cultural change. Stories look at efforts to revive Ladino (Sandy Tolan) and Welsh (Jon Miller); at contemporary musicians performing in Occitan (Julian Crandall Hollick) and Maori (Dmae Roberts); and at a controversial attempt to translate the Bible into an indigenous language in Mexico (Marianne McCune).
Broadcast History
The feature stories included in this program have aired in slightly different form on NPR news magazine shows and/or on Living on Earth. For details, please see http://homelands.org/worlds/stories.html.
Transcript
None.
Read the full transcript
Timing and Cues
:00:00 -- :00:59 BILLBOARD
:01:00 -- :06:00 NEWSCAST HOLE (silence)
:06:00 -- :06:29 MUSIC BED
:06:30 -- :18:59 SEGMENT A
:19:00 -- :19:59 MUSIC BED
:20:00 -- :38:59 SEGMENT B
:39:00 -- :39:59 MUSIC BED
:40:00 -- :58:59 SEGMENT C
OUT CLEAN AT 59:00
Content Advisory
None.
Musical Works
FINDING A VOICE
"Dawa Ya Mwoyo" by Samite, Tunula Eno, 2003 Triloka Records, 59 sec
"Mwatu" by Samite, ibid, 29 sec
"Jen nia mondo," Esperanto Association of Britain, 24 sec
"Drunk Woman Song," field recording by Alan Weisman, 44 sec
"Keserves" by Muzsik?s, Maramoros - The Lost Jewish Music of Transylvania, Rykodisc Europe 1985, 59 sec
"The Hilltop Commercial" Coca Cola 1971, 46 sec
"Alawon Fy Ngwlad" by Carreg Lafar, Ysbryd y Werin, 1995 Sain (Recordiau) Cyf, 1:44
"Min Drot Drot," Welsh Language Board, Twf, 46 sec
"Pancarus," The Discoteca Collection: Miss?o de Pesquisas Folcloricas (EMP) Brazil 1930s, 53 sec
"Hiraeth" by Carreg Lafar, Ysbryd y Werin, 1995 Sain (Recordiau) Cyf, 59 sec
"Whale Rider," clip #1, South Pacific Pictures 2002, 45 sec
"Whale Rider" clip #2, ibid, 1:25
"The Passion of the Christ," Newmarket Films 2004, 1:03
Additional Files
- The Steel family of Clydach, Wales. (welshfamily.jpg)
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Additional Information
- Produced: Jan 01, 2005
- Added to PRX: Oct 03, 2005
- This piece is in English
Stephen L. Gilbreath
Posted on February 24, 2006 at 05:21 PM | Permalink
Review of Worlds of Difference: Finding a Voice
Bravo! The globe-hopping information presented in this thoroughly-researched feature is very well presented with sounds and voices that helped to not only hold the attention but more. The thought-provoking program revealed that many languages are dying -- reported as one every two weeks.
With 6800 languages in the world multiplied times two weeks, that would equal 13,600 weeks which would mean (if the present rate held its course), it would be a little more than 261 years before we are back to the Tower of Babel! Will fewer languages help man get along better and mean more peace between different nations and people -- or less?
Would one language help to make worldwide cosmocide less likely -- or more providential? This program revealed a reality and stimulated the kind of thinking that all people should undertake more often than most of us probably do. After giving it some thought, the facts presented in this program makes this writer very happy that everyone does not speak only English! [Producer -- please be sure to see my Private Notes to Producer for suggestions for a future serial on a theme you have presented well.]