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I am writing an academic text about linguistics. I have managed to obtain examples from endangered languages that are rarely included in research (one in particular has less than 500 speakers according to the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger).

I don't want to fully rely on these languages to illustrate the phenomena I describe, but I would like to include some of them as examples for the sake of it, because it's difficult if not impossible to come across them in literature.

How can I introduce them in my text? Is it acceptable to include "unnecessary" examples? Can it be justified in some cases?

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  • Is your goal preservation?
    – Weckar E.
    Jul 26, 2021 at 7:23

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Add an Appendix

If your examples detract from the flow of the main body, remove them and put them at the end in an appendix with an explanation as to why you feel its important to include in the book.

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  • I should have clarified in the question, I want to include them in the main body. It's not so much that it can be considered "disruptive", but I am looking for an academic way to say "this couple examples show the same phenomenon, but I want to include them for the sake of it".
    – user51579
    Jul 25, 2021 at 12:30
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    Are there already common examples of the phenomenon such that the ones you want to use can't be easily used or would confuse the reader? If so, you can explain the 'sake' i.e. their relative rarity and obscurity; the extra examples shouldn't be a problem.
    – Allan
    Jul 25, 2021 at 13:13
  • Spanish is always used for examples of this phenomenon. I am including a Spanish example, and would like to include another example from a small, endangered language spoken in a different geographical area. That is not to say that there aren't many more examples in other languages.
    – user51579
    Jul 28, 2021 at 8:48

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