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23 April 2013
No Digital Camera? No Problem. Create Your Own Language Video
Thanks to a new feature on the Endangered Languages Project (ELP) website, language activists who may not have ready access to a digital video camera can now make their own contribution towards the revitalization of their endangered language online. The new “Add a Video” feature allows users to create their own citizen media by recording a video directly from their computer's webcam for upload and sharing with the wider community.
11 April 2013
Celebrating Multilingualism at the Tunis World Social Forum
Would you deem yourself able of understanding, however partially, the general meaning of a text written in a language you know nothing of, except maybe its existence? Such as Basque, Estonian, Hungarian or Turkish, to name just a few? The workshop "The Magic of Language Equality" demonstrated the feat with playfulness, opening amazing perspectives into language-learning for young and old.
20 February 2013
Learning Ojibwe with Jennifer Bobiwash
"I realized this was an opportunity for me to learn more about my own heritage. And if others watch my videos and learn, it's a plus. I think by the simple fact that my videos are online are a testament to ensuring an online presence... And it's just a question of people finding the videos, as well as the marketing of it so people can find it" says Jennifer of her project to make Ojibwe known through Youtube.
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22 January 2013
Creating Talking Dictionaries for Indigenous Languages
From January 7-11, 2013, twelve indigenous language activists from across Latin America gathered in Santiago, Chile to explore how digital technologies can play a key role in revitalizing their native tongues as part of the “Enduring Voices” workshop. The workshop's primary activity used digital audio recorders to create an online Talking Dictionary, as a way to promote their language
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30 November 2012
Workshop: Digital Media for Endangered Languages in Latin America
Rising Voices is collaborating with the Enduring Voices Project and the Living Tongues Institute, who are organizing a workshop on Digital Media for Endangered Languages in Latin America that will take place in Santiago, Chile in January 2013. Twelve indigenous language activists will gather to learn how to best use these digital technologies to document and revitalize their native tongues.
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30 October 2012
Library as a Starting Point to Revitalize Tz'utujil Language
The Library Rija'tzuul Na'ooj in San Juan la Laguna, Guatemala has been promoting activities that encourage the use of the Tz'utujil language by the local community. The library's director Israel Quic has built upon these activities, and added a complementary focus on the web, through blogs and social media in order to encourage more speakers of this Mayan language to revitalize its written use.
15 October 2012
Facebook in Your Indigenous or Endangered Language
Facebook has stated that it wants to be "available in every language across the world." However, it is no longer accepting new languages as part of its translation project. Continuing the work of late language activist Neskie Manuel, Indigenous Tweets has developed an overlay script allowing for the use of Facebook in many more indigenous or endangered languages.
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30 August 2012
Languages: Translating Health Content Without Borders
A recently study showed that 63% of African translators believed greater access to translated information could have saved the life of a friend or family member. Translators Without Borders has been working to amplify essential health-related content into minority languages around the world. Rising Voices recently spoke with its co-founder Lori Thicke to learn about some of their recent projects.
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27 August 2012
Languages: A Video Library for Successor Pipil Generation
Only approximately 2.5-10% of El Salvador's population is of indigenous descent. The Pipil or Nahuat language is critically endangered with only about 200 speakers remaining. A language activist named Carlos Cortez is working to create a video library to help develop a new generation of young speakers to build a bridge with the older group of speakers so that they can become "the successor generation."
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2 August 2012
Languages: The First Digital Sounds of Mam
In Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, languages such as K'iche' and Mam continue to play a central role in rural daily life. The importance of maintaining these indigenous languages has been recognized by the Riecken Libraries, which has been implementing the RV grantee project Xela Civic Libraries. Members of the project have been involved in activities design to revitalize the Mam language including beginning to use audio recordings.
