Programs to Revitalize Indigenous Languages
Funded through Budget 2017, the National Research Council of Canada’s Indigenous Languages Technology Project collaborates closely with Indigenous experts on technologies that contribute to language revitalization. 6 projects were launched in 2018-2019 between the National Research Council of Canada and 10 collaborating organizations ranging from Indigenous communities, schools, language experts, governments, universities, and language service providers. A second set of projects was also launched in summer and fall 2019
Wordweaver: Iroquoian language
An open source code and graphical user interface to create online verb conjugation tools for Iroquoian languages. i.e. used to build a verb conjugator for Ohswé:ken, the western dialect of Mohawk, working with the Onkwawenna Kentyohkwa immersion school. The NRC is now collaborating with language experts on a version for the Kahnawà:ke (eastern) dialect.
Keyman 12: SENĆOŦEN language
A predictive text software for SENĆOŦEN, released as part of Keyman 12. Now people typing in SENĆOŦEN can benefit from the speed and ease of having predictive text at their fingertips when typing on mobile devices. The aim is to help engage young people in learning Indigenous languages and increase language use in everyday contexts.
Keyword Search of audio recordings: Inuktitut, Cree, and other languages
Using audio files from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Indigenous experts from the Pirurvik Centre are providing transcriptions of stories told by their Elders in Inuktitut.Collaborators at the Computer Research Institute of Montreal (CRIM) are using these transcriptions to index and segment the audio files. CRIM released 5 audio processing tools in 2019, and is working toward accessible keyword search in 2020.
Web-based atlases and Dictionaries: Algonquin
The NRC project team welcomed visiting scholar Dr. Marie-Odile Junker, Full Professor at Carleton University, to work on web-based Algonquian dictionaries, spell checkers, verb conjugators and a linguistic atlas.
Inuktuk Language software: Inuktuk
The NRC initiated a project with the Nunavut Legislative Assembly and the Pirurvik Centre to develop technologies for Inuktut language learners and professionals that reinforce Inuktut’s status as an official language.
Online language courses: Kwak’wala, Michif, Mi’kmaw, and Naskapi
The NRC is contributing to the creation of 4 online language courses for Kwak’wala, Michif, Mi’kmaw, and Naskapi, through 7000 Languages