LL-L "Resources" 2007.10.25 (06) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  -  25 October 2007 - Volume 01
Song Contest: lowlands-l.net/contest/ (- 31 Dec. 2007)
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject:Resources

Dear Lowlanders,

Thanks to John mentioning the situation in Alaska, I remembered what I have
been wanting to run by you for some time now.

I am impressed by what some organizations in Canada do with regard to native
language attention and learning. This includes on-line educational material.

I have been wondering if some of their ideas can't be adapted to creating
material for lesser-known Lowlands languages and also to lesser-known
languages in general.

To give you an example, the Yukon Native Language Centre (
http://www.yukoncollege.yk.ca/ynlc/) has been creating some really nice
resources that are suitable for use as primers and as research corporae by
just about anyone, including children and linguists. I think that's a
trailblazing effort for which they need to be applauded.

In particular, I have in mind their series of audio storybooks:
http://www.yukoncollege.yk.ca/ynlc/materials/story_books.html

In the left-hand menu you get to choose a language and then an audio book.
You can click on the arrow to leaf from page to page, either in the language
along (pp. 1-6) or with English interlinear translation (pp. 8-13), or you
can switch between monolingual and bilingual modes by clicking on
"Translation." On each page, you can click on any paragraph to hear it
narrated.

At the end of each menu there is a link to the narrator's introduction.

For instance, the story "At Home" is presented in all the listed languages.

I'm not sure exactly how they set it up, but I have a hunch that the book
pages are Giff graphics with hot-spot links to the sound files. I am
impressed by the clarity of the sound and by the speed with which the sound
files are activated after clicking.

I could imagine us creating similar resources by setting up basic books with
simple (beginners') texts that can then be adapted to the various Lowlands
varieties, especially those for which there is a scarcity of material but a
good deal of interest around the world. I wonder what you think about this.
Of course it wouldn't have to be exactly like this, just along similar
lines.

I can imagine it would be fairly easy to pull off as a concerted effort,
especially once the basics have been set up. The basic set-up would involve
five activities, probably in this order:

   1. composing one or more simple stories (either from scratch or
   adapted from existing ones)
   2. creating the art (either drawings or photographs)
   3. programming the interactive elements (which looks fairly simple)
   4. setting up the page design
   5. web page development and maintenance

If you find this worth pursuing, I wonder if it would be followed up by
adequate volunteering. Artists? Programmers? Webmasters? Native speakers
willing to record their voices?

I would be interested in related ideas. But please resist thinking too big,
because even simple-sounding projects can turn out to be rather involved.

Thanks in advance for sharing your reactions, thoughts and ideas.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

•

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