Applying Current Methods in Documentary Linguistics in the Documentation of Endangered Languages: A Case Study on Fieldwork in Arvanitic

Arvanitic is a language of Greece also called Arberichte or Arvanitika. UNESCO has classified Arvanitic as a “severely endangered language” in Greece, which is in need of documentation as it is being used by the last generation of speakers. In the case of Arvanitic in Greece, it appears more weight has been given to the process of description at the expense of documentation proper. This paper will discuss how current methods in documentary linguistics are being applied in its documentation. It will report on a field study being carried out with the last native speakers in the community of Zarakas, Laconia, Greece. The aim of the fieldwork being carried out is to create a reliable, representative, comprehensive and lasting record of the language in this specific community, in light of new developments in information, communication and media technology which can aid not only its documentation but also its archiving, processing, preservation as well as its accessibility. It places importance on collaboration with the local native speakers as well as ethics involving the speakers’ needs and rights of privacy and ownership, while at the same time giving something back to the community.