American writer Ross Perlin has been awarded the British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding for his non-fiction work ‘Language City: The Fight to Preserve Endangered Mother Tongues’. The book explores the history of language migration in New York City and highlights the importance of preserving endangered languages around the world.
While some politicians may view the diverse languages spoken by immigrants as a problem, linguists like Professor Donna M. Farina see them as an asset to the nation. Through her work with students like Mahamat Saleh Adji Mbodou and Botirjon Ibrohimov, Farina has firsthand experience with the many languages spoken by immigrants that are essential to national security and cultural diversity. New Jersey City University has recognized the importance of these immigrant languages by offering inexpensive language proficiency tests for over 120 languages, enabling students to earn up to 12 undergraduate credits and save time towards graduation.
