I see there is a call for wanting to teach the Aboriginal language in our schools.

I for one think that's a great idea as these were clever people in thier own right and, we could well learn some lessons from thier elders, if they were willing to teach us.

What do you think?

Have you taken up the option or are you recommending it for the long-suffering school children?

rehctub,
i'm totally in favour of Aboriginal parents as indeed all parents teaching their children the language of their forebears.. I don't think it can be taught in school when there's no actual language as such. Each area has it's own distinct language pretty much like in all the countries in Europe. We do need a language in which we can all communicate without hurdles brought on by language. I think English fits the bill well.

Dear rehctub,

Thank You for this thread.

And what a great idea - a push for
Australian languages in Australia!

I suspect that you'll get attacked for it
though by some people who cling defensively
to English and don't consider Australia as
a plural nation. We are a plural nation!

If you look up the official language of New
Zealand - its listed plurally - English and
Maori.

What would be the harm in listing English,
Pitjantjatjara, Warlpiri, Arrernte, Tiwi,
and more for us?

Many Indigenous languages were tragically lost.
The last living Aboriginal languages should be
part of our lives.

Imagine that your child is to be the only
person able to speak your mother tongue.
That is the end of a culture.

Through languages you get to discover
many inner worlds. As the author Arnold Zable
said:

"Australia can be re-imagined, transformed into a
Nation of countless dreamings..."

While I admire the sentiment, the reality is that the aboriginal languages are now seldom spoken by aboriginals, and are unlikely to survive the 21st century.

Once the kids leave school, the chances are that they will never have the opportunity to use it again. So while I don't mind it being an option, but would mind it being compulsory. (PS I am not a big fan of Latin either)

It would be far better if English was again taught at our schools.

It is appalling to hear some of the kids speak today. They don't seem to have any idea what a sentence is, or a paragraph.

My spelling is not very good, but far better than the kids of today.

Don't they have to write essays or composition as it used to be?

I doubt if any are made to stand up and read a few paragraphs or recite a ballard.

Some of my most enjoyable times as a kid were spent reading and imagining the stories, especially the adventure stories of Huck Finn, Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Black Beauty, The five and Biggles.

Could go to bed with a book and be so absorbed that did not realise the time until light was coming in the window.