Communities developing resources and competencies for using their languages
Foundational understanding for language development work of all kinds
Publications, fonts and computer tools for language development, translation and research
SIL offers training in disciplines relevant to sustainable language development.
7,105 languages are spoken or signed. CLICK for map of world languages & regional websites.
SIL's dedication to language development past and present
Dr. Kenneth Lee Pike was the consummate scholar. His pioneer work in descriptive linguistics clearly identified him as an adventurous and penetrating thinker. But Pike was more. As president of the Summer Institute of Linguistics (now SIL International) from 1942–1979, his task was to train and equip hundreds of linguistic students to deal with any unwritten language in the world (to analyze it and put it in writing), He expanded SIL's work to more than 50 countries and ehlped to establish SIL's academic integrity. An author of more than 20 books and 200 articles, Pike was an internationally recognized linguistic scholar.
Said Pike, "As I developed my linguistic principles, I discovered they extended far beyond language and linguistics. They spilled over into areas like anthropology, religion, sociology and philosophy. In fact, they turned out to be general principles about human nature itself."
He received numerous awards and honorary degrees for his achievements, including 16 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.
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