Autochthonous languages of Siberia as our national heritage, which might be lost

The value of cultural and linguistic diversity is now widely acknowledged, as well as the fact that in the modern world this diversity is seriously endangered. In my paper I am going to speak about autochthonous languages of Siberia forming the linguistic diversity of this territory. Practically all Siberia is the area of language contacts, but it is the contact with Russian, the state language, which dominatrs practically in all official and quite often also in unofficial communicative spheres. As a result, the situation of language shift is today quite common for autochthonous communities. I am going to approach the issue regarding autochthonous Siberian languages not as the heritage of respective ethnic communities (which they undoubtedly are), but as the national heritage, which should not be wasted. Doing my fieldwork in autochthonous linguistic communities, I sometimes feel present among linguistic ruins. Can it be helped? As it was put by Piere Bourdieu, language market dictates its rules. The prejudice that to learn the language of the majority, which gives access to education, professional career and prosperity, is only possible abandoning the ancestral language is still wide-spread both inside and outside ethnic minority groups, it is wide-spread in different social strata including educational authorities. The first thing to be done to support autochthonous languages is to overcome the prejudice. Advertising the advantages of multilingualism could be most helpful. It is being done quite successful in some European countries, but is not in practice in Russia. In this context the globalization and network society could be helpful.