Léa Mouton, Alice Vittrant – Minorités et terrains en Asie du Sud-Est.

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The presentation provides valuable insights into the practical and ethical dimensions of linguistic fieldwork with minority communities. The speakers draw on their extensive experience to illustrate the challenges and adaptations required in research. The argumentation is solid, grounded in concrete examples and personal narratives. They effectively demonstrate how political and social contexts shape research possibilities and outcomes. The discussion of the trilingual guide for refugees is a compelling example of applied linguistics and community engagement. However, the presentation could benefit from more explicit references to existing literature or frameworks beyond UNESCO’s language vitality criteria.

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on minority languages and fieldwork in Southeast Asia.

8/10

The presentation is based on extensive fieldwork experience and references UNESCO criteria for language vitality. The speakers are established researchers, and the content is coherent and well-structured. However, no external sources are cited in the video, and the claims about language statistics are not directly referenced.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 00:00Introduction: presentation of the two questions about the role of linguists towards minorities.
• 02:00Definition of minority languages and statistics on language distribution.
• 05:00Discussion of the importance of studying minority languages and the urgency due to language endangerment.
• 08:00Léa Mouton's fieldwork on Hmong in Vietnam: description of the community and language vitality assessment.
• 12:00Challenges of fieldwork in sensitive areas, including the case of a language near the Chinese border.
• 15:00Alice Vittrant's work on Burmese and the impact of the 2021 coup on research.
• 18:00Adaptation: working with Burmese diaspora in Thailand and France.
• 21:00The Tradili project and the creation of a trilingual guide for Burmese refugees in France.
• 24:00Conclusion: reflections on giving back to communities and the ethical responsibilities of linguists.

• Journée EDI, de la réflexion à la pratique — Event page for the EDI day where this presentation was given.

• UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger — Supports the discussion on language vitality and endangerment.