SIL International: Partners in Language Development

SIL International
Partners in Language Development

By facilitating language-based development, SIL International serves the peoples of the world through research, translation, and literacy.

Facts about Illiteracy

The world contains approximately one billion nonliterate adults.
Approximately 30-50 million nonliterates are added each year.
Twenty-seven percent of adults are nonliterate.
Developing nations contain 98% of nonliterates.

Women are two-thirds of all nonliterates.

Read about SIL's literacy efforts

What's New

Phonology Assistant 3.0.1
Effective orthographies topic of new SIL Electronic Working Paper
Five new SIL Electronic Survey Reports

More What’s New

SIL conference elects new board president

Delegates from several partner organizations from over 70 countries convened in Thailand to attend the SIL two-week triennial planning conference. Dr. John Watters was chosen as the incoming president, who, in December 2007, completed an eight-year term as the executive director. Watters brings to the position of president—which functions as chairman of the SIL International Board—a broad range of experience in linguistics and administration.