FUNKNET Digest, Vol 88, Issue 16

[s.t. bischoff]

The issue of Rosetta Stone and endangered languages seems ripe for
controversy. The relationship can be easily exploited by Rosetta Stone. If a
community provides data and RS controls the data the community may find
itself at the mercy of the RS. For example, as I understand it, often RS
provides the "service" to create the resources for "free". They charge a
nominal fee for access to the first level lessons. However, that fee
increases with advancing levels. Like most minority groups, endangered
language communities are easy targets for exploitation (see the recent
Coushatta casino scam). Additionally, there is a good deal of controversy
regarding weather or not RS actually works. As I understand it, some
researchers have done research on RS and the conclusion have been that it
doesn't work (linguists working the software can judge for themselves)...the
results cannot be released due to litigation.  In short, these types of
relationships can't help but raise some concerns...I wonder if communities
(both endangered language and academic) are always savvy enough to protect
themselves. Of course greater detail of the actual relationships that RS
creates would be helpful in terms of understanding.

On Thu, Jan 20, 2011 at 1:00 PM, <funknet-request at mailman.rice.edu> wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
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>   1. Rosetta Stone acquires the rights to endangered languages
>      (Keith Johnson)
>   2. Re: Rosetta Stone acquires the rights to endangered languages
>      (A. Katz)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:50:19 -0800
> From: Keith Johnson <keithjohnson at berkeley.edu>
> Subject: [FUNKNET] Rosetta Stone acquires the rights to endangered
>        languages
> To: funknet at mailman.rice.edu
> Message-ID: <EC46FC5D-387C-47B4-A3D8-DAF756DE399F at berkeley.edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> Hi Funksters,
>
> My subject heading is intentionally provocative, but this article
> raises a couple of
> issues.  Is it a good thing for Rosetta Stone to have an endangered
> languages
> unit?
>
> Keith Johnson
>
>
> http://www.adn.com/2011/01/19/1657429/alaska-natives-team-up-with-rosetta.html
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 09:38:15 -0800 (PST)
> From: "A. Katz" <amnfn at well.com>
> Subject: Re: [FUNKNET] Rosetta Stone acquires the rights to endangered
>        languages
> To: Keith Johnson <keithjohnson at berkeley.edu>
> Cc: funknet at mailman.rice.edu
> Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.64.1101200937300.26715 at well.com>
> Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
>
> Why not? If it helps preserve the language, and the speakers approve, then
> there should be no problem.
>
>
>
> On Thu, 20 Jan 2011, Keith Johnson wrote:
>
> > Hi Funksters,
> >
> > My subject heading is intentionally provocative, but this article raises
> a
> > couple of
> > issues.  Is it a good thing for Rosetta Stone to have an endangered
> languages
> > unit?
> >
> > Keith Johnson
> >
> >
> http://www.adn.com/2011/01/19/1657429/alaska-natives-team-up-with-rosetta.html
> >
> >
>
>
> End of FUNKNET Digest, Vol 88, Issue 16
> ***************************************
>