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Abstract

The link between language loss and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) loss in small language communities is well documented, but the causal mechanisms are difficult to tease apart. We investigate the transmission of bird knowledge in two ethnic minority communities of Myanmar, Lainong and Danu, which differ greatly in their degree of remoteness and the level of local forest cover. Older and younger native speakers from numerous villages were asked to name local birds from audio-visual stimuli, and their responses were analyzed quantitatively to detect any disruptions in TEK transmission to younger generations. Remoteness has a protective effect on TEK transmission in two Lainong villages, and higher levels of forest cover may be associated with a larger ethno-ornithological vocabulary at the regional level, but not at the village level. Cultural and religious practices may also play an important role in determining knowledge maintenance or loss. By documenting bird names in two understudied languages, this study makes an important contribution to both documentary linguistics as well as conservation science.

Keywords

deforestation Myanmar Naga remoteness Shan State traditional ecological knowledge

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The Effects of Remoteness and Forest Cover on Bird Knowledge in Two Language Communities of Myanmar

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