Acceso usuarios
In the context of the multilingual university this paper investigates how a university department and the scientists therein can promote indigenous multilingualism and minority languages. Starting with the question of the history and self-perception of university departments concerned with minority languages, the fields covered are the importance of the very existence of such a department; the role of the scientist doing research and of the results of such research; the scientist as a mediator and adviser; the language community visiting the university; training students in the minority language and as teachers, and taking them on field trips; monitoring the language community and compiling and analysing reports thereon; and introducing the language community to external developments, as well as representing them in official bodies. There are many opportunities open to the scientist but also possible constraints, depending partly on the scientist's standing within the community, the community's attitude to academia and power structures within the community.
