ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on a number of case studies illustrating more or less successful revitalization of indigenous minority languages, namely Aboriginal languages in Australia, Maori in New Zealand, Sami and Kven in Norway, Hebrew in Israel, and Breton and Corsican in France. It provides how a language is constructed as being endangered. The chapter argues that language revitalization is most successful when it is simultaneously promoted by a grassroots movement and by the state, as well as being supported by international minority rights organizations. At the same time, the chapter also focuses on to the human costs involved in each situation. The chapter assesses the contrasting dire situation of indigenous minority languages in Australia with that in New Zealand and Norway, with the last two being perhaps the two countries in the world with the most progressive policies towards indigenous minority languages. It considers an example of the discourse of endangerment surrounding Luxembourgish.
