POSSIBILITIES FOR THE REVITALISATION OF ENDANGERED LANGUAGES: BETWEEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COUNTRIES AND THE ACTION TAKEN BY LANGUAGE MINORITIES

The article considers the main ways, aims and possibilities of revitalising minority languages. The discussion is based on an analysis of a few minority languages (Welsh, Wendi's and Breton) and the action being taken in order to keep them alive. The authoress asks the question as to the degree to which minority cultures and their rights to minority languages are respected by the state and the significance of this to the revitalisation of seriously endangered languages. Her answer is that the most effective method of protecting endangered languages is to support action conducted by representatives of the minority cultures, which will improve the standing of that language and will encourage its use in public life and - at least partly - on official occasions (not forgetting about the introduction of those languages into the education system).