16 The Linguist Vol/55 No/1 2016
www.ciol.org.uk
As indigenous languages gain respect in Argentina,
interpreting needs are growing, says Carla Avenia Koency
I
n Argentina, there has been a surge in the
demand for classes in indigenous language
– particularly the most widely spoken ones:
Quechua, Guarani, Mapuche and Toba. The
Centro Universitario de Idiomas (CUI) has
offered courses in the first three since 2006.
They started with only 30 students and by
2009 that number had skyrocketed to 258.
"We see two types of students," explains
Roberto Villarruel, CUI Director, "those who
veer towards it as a result of their heritage
and family history, and who enrol because of
the increasing interest in the culture and
language of indigenous communities."
Media outlets are increasingly featuring these
communities, he adds. From their protests in
Ecuador, to the rise of the Aymara in Bolivia
alongside indigenous President Evo Morales,
and their increasing participation in UNASUR
(the Union of South American Nations),
indigenous communities have never before
been so present in the public eye – and in
people's minds.
Travel and migration have also played a
key factor in the popularisation of these
languages. "On the one hand, young people
travel across Latin America more and more,
which piques their interest in these cultures,"
says Villarruel. Also, there are those who
migrate for work, and bring with them their
language and culture.
Argentina receives large numbers of
Paraguayan and Bolivian immigrants.
Morales has elevated 34 indigenous
languages to official language status in
Bolivia, the most widely spoken of which are
Quechua, Guarani and Aymara. Paraguay,
on the other hand, has granted official
language status only to Guarani. This has
cemented the importance of the language
considerably, giving free reign to language
institutes and language resources, and
enabling a vibrant literary scene to blossom.
Today, Guarani even has its own academy to
rival la Real Academia: Avañe'
ẽ Rerekuapavẽ.
But it wasn't always like this. The award-
winning Paraguayan poet, Cristian David
Lopez, admits, "There was a time in which
people thought that speaking Guarani was
synonymous with ignorance. It was something
that country people did, and perceived as
antonymous to being educated. I've even
seen parents punish their children for
speaking Guarani. Surely there's still people
who might think that Guarani is worthless,
but today Paraguayans are aware that their
language is a most valuable treasure."
What followed next, was the development
of the translation and interpreting domains
for indigenous languages. Given the weight
of Guarani in the Latin American sphere, the
pivotal moment came when Mercosur (the
union of Latin America states) made Guarani
Voice of the minorities
