National Geographic focuses on endangered languages (June 2012) Many of the world’s smaller language communities exist on the margins. Some are fading; others strive valiantly to hold onto their cultural heritage and the language that embodies it. Through stories and a gallery of quotes and photos, “Vanishing Voices,” an article in the July issue of National Geographic, introduces readers to several communities and some of the unique contributions they make to the mosaic of world cultures. Read more about National Geographic focuses on endangered languages
Celebrating culture, language and the arts in the Pacific Artists representing the arts and culture of American Samoa (left) and Tahiti (right) perform at FOPA. Read more about Celebrating culture, language and the arts in the Pacific
12th International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics hosted in Indonesia (July 2012) The 12th International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics (12-ICAL), co-organized by the Australian National University, MPI-EVA Leipzig and Udayana University was hosted at Udayana’s campus in Bali, Indonesia, 2-6 July. Held every three to four years, this conference draws Austronesianists from around the world. Read more about 12th International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics hosted in Indonesia
SIL tools for language documentation presented at Charting Vanishing Voices workshop (June 2012) Scholars and digital archivists from a variety of institutions and organizations are coming together 29-30 June for a workshop entitled “Charting Vanishing Voices: A Collaborative Workshop to Map Endangered Oral Cultures.” The event is being held at Cambridge University’s Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH). Martin Raymond of SIL’s Non-Roman Script Initiative will introduce several new tools for language documentation developed by SIL. Read more about SIL tools for language documentation presented at Charting Vanishing Voices workshop
SIL linguist documents endangered languages in Papua New Guinea (June 2012) Because every language and culture is part of the mosaic of humanity, SIL is concerned for endangered languages and the communities that speak those languages. SIL linguist Dr. Ken McElhanon recently undertook a project entitled, "Comparative dictionary and digital recordings for Huon Peninsula languages." The research was funded by a Documenting Endangered Languages (DEL) fellowship provided by the US National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Science Foundation. McElhanon serves as a senior professor at the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics. Read more about SIL linguist documents endangered languages in Papua New Guinea
