ScholarWorks@경상국립대학교

초록

Abstract: This study investigates how language suppression affects cultural identity and psychological wellbeing in Indigenous and minority communities, using U.S. Native American cases as reference for Morocco’s Amazigh revitalization challenges. Drawing on a literature-based case analysis of historical suppression and contemporary revitalization initiatives (e.g., immersion schooling and the Master-Apprentice model), this study examines how suppression and revitalization are associated with successful recovery. Historical suppression produced identity loss, intergenerational trauma, and mental health crises, whereas youth suicide rates “dropped to zero” in communities where half of community members maintained conversational Indigenous language knowledge (Hallett et al., 2007: 392). Morocco’s Amazigh instruction has reached 40% of schools (Middle East Monitor, 2025). This analysis suggests that effective revitalization depends on legal recognition of linguistic rights, culturally responsive curricula, and community-led programs, along with a policy shift from viewing linguistic diversity as a problem toward treating it as a valuable resource (a language-as-resource orientation) (Ruiz, 1984). Key Words: Language Suppression, Revitalization, Cultural Identity, Amazigh, Language-as-Resource Orientation □ Received: Jan. 27, 2026, Revised: Feb. 25, 2026, Accepted: Feb. 28, 2026＊ Associate Professor, Gyeongsang National Univ., Email: jyoon@gnu.ac.kr

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