MUZAFFARABAD: The University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (UAJK) is hosting the second International Kashmir Linguistics Conference on May 4-5.

The two-day event would see participation of linguistics experts from Pakistan and abroad and both sides of the divided state of Jammu and Kashmir, UAJK spokesman Israr Naqvi said.

“The basic objective of the conference is to preserve and promote the endangered languages spoken in Asia in general and the state of Jammu and Kashmir in particular,” he said.

The experts would present their papers in more than 20 sessions, which would include, among other things, measures to preserve the dwindling languages.

Mr Naqvi pointed out that the decline of regional languages had attained alarming proportions across the world, with globalisation being a major factor behind it.

“It is ironical that people at large have become shy of speaking regional languages, or so to say their mother tongues. And its because of this unhealthy trend, their next generations are becoming unfamiliar with regional language and subsequently they are also losing their rich cultural heritage,” he said.  

Mr Naqvi recalled that the UAJK had held a similar linguistics conference in the past as well, after realising serious threat to the dwindling languages. “The second conference on this subject speaks volumes about the commitment of this higher seat of learning to preservation and promotion of endangered languages,” he said. — Staff Correspondent

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2015

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