Abstract
Language usually implies and embodies communication, but this paper explores the silence created when people living with dementia revert to their first language. I explore the connotations and denotations of the word “silence”, and the cultural dimensions affected by its imposition or adoption. When communication and entire languages are lost, either by attrition or hegemonic pressure, culture is lost, stories are no longer told, experience no longer valued, and our very humanity silenced.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 97-110 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Cultural Analysis |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 6 Jun 2021 |
| Publication status | Published - 6 Jun 2021 |
Keywords
- silence
- dementia
- listening
- minority language
- bilingualism
