WhisÂtled lanÂguage is a rare form of comÂmuÂniÂcaÂtion that can be mostÂly found in locaÂtions with isoÂlatÂing feaÂtures such as scatÂtered setÂtleÂments or mounÂtainÂous terÂrain. This docÂuÂmenÂtary above shows how Dr. Mark Sicoli, AssisÂtant ProÂfesÂsor of LinÂguisÂtics at GeorgeÂtown UniÂverÂsiÂty, conÂducts field studÂies among speakÂers of a ChiÂnanÂtec lanÂguage, who live in the mounÂtainÂous region of northÂern OaxÂaÂca in MexÂiÂco. The SumÂmer InstiÂtute of LinÂguisÂtics in MexÂiÂco has recordÂed and tranÂscribed a whisÂtled conÂverÂsaÂtion in SochiÂaÂpam ChiÂnanÂtec between two men in difÂferÂent fields. The result can be seen and heard here.
The most thorÂoughÂly-researched whisÂtled lanÂguage howÂevÂer is SilÂbo Gomero, the lanÂguage of the island of La Gomera (Canary Islands). In 2009, it was inscribed on the RepÂreÂsenÂtaÂtive List of the IntanÂgiÂble CulÂturÂal HerÂitage of HumanÂiÂty. The UNESCO webÂsite has a good descripÂtion of this whisÂtled lanÂguage with phoÂtos and a video. HavÂing almost died out, the lanÂguage is now taught once more in schools.
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By proÂfesÂsion, Matthias RaschÂer teachÂes EngÂlish and HisÂtoÂry at a High School in northÂern Bavaria, GerÂmany. In his free time he scours the web for good links and posts the best finds on TwitÂter.
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