Dying languages archived for future generations (fwd link)

[s.t. bischoff]

Hi Neskie,

We're learning as we go...a spell checker would be great...I still need to
post the keyboard...it is all about time! I'm going to forward the info
about the spell checker to the tribe and see they have someone with the
time...meanwhile you've given me a new project...I'm thinking to include the
ACORN software in the site so folks can make lessons...any ideas and
suggestions always welcome!

cheers,
shannon

On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 1:08 PM, Neskie Manuel <neskiem at gmail.com> wrote:

> Wow that's an interesting project.  Have you developed a spellcecking
> dictionary for FireFox or OpenOffice.org.  It is quite trivial once
> you have a wordlist.  I sent a link out earlier on the list, so you
> odn't have to go searching it is right here
>
> http://secpewt.sd73.bc.ca/spellcheckers
> http://secpewt.sd73.bc.ca/firefox
>
> Cheers.
>
> On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 12:44 PM, s.t. bischoff <bischoff.st at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Over the summer a student and I, both with no webpage design/creation
> > background, created a "naive archive". The goal was to see what two
> > motivated people could do without any prior web experience in terms of
> > creating an archive from scratch and from legacy materials (dictionaries,
> > stem lists, grammars, unpublished manuscripts). We used open source
> material
> > (e.g. ubuntu and gimp) and proprietary software (e.g. windows and dream
> > weaver)...we found we could do everything with the open source software
> with
> > no trouble. We used the free online w3schools.com tutorials for
> everything
> > we created. We spent six weeks and used HTML and Java script for almost
> > everything. The most difficult part was creating a search mechanism for
> the
> > dictionary, stem list, and affix list...this required knowledge of PHP
> which
> > we learned at the w3schools.com site as well. The PHP was not necessary
> > however because the web browser's own search mechanism seemed to worked.
> >
> > We ended up creating a searchable root dictionary from a microsoft word
> > version of an original print dictionary, a searchable stem list from a
> 1938
> > publication, and a searchable affix list from a 1939 grammar. The grammar
> > was already archived by the Internet Archive so we linked each entry to
> the
> > original source page online. We also included over 1,200 pages of
> > unpublished manuscripts, a grammatical sketch, some information about
> > various orthographies and some other things.
> >
> > In short, we managed to do a good deal in a short time. The only caveat
> is
> > that we both had prior experience with programing languages so had a
> certain
> > comfort with computers and confidence in our abilities...something that
> can
> > make a big difference. You can view the site at
> > http://academic.uprm.edu/~sbischoff/crd_archive/start1.html<http://academic.uprm.edu/%7Esbischoff/crd_archive/start1.html>
> .
> >
> > We hope it might serve as an example of what can be done...without
> > funding...though if any wants to give us some money to do more we'd be
> happy
> > to take it.
> >
> > Shannon
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 12:55 PM, phil cash cash<
> cashcash at email.arizona.edu>
> > wrote:
> >> Dying languages archived for future generations
> >>
> >> A Cambridge University project to safeguard the world's 6,000 spoken
> >> languages
> >> has been launched after it emerged half could die out within a
> generation.
> >>
> >> Published: 3:54PM BST 24 Aug 2009
> >> UK
> >>
> >> The World Oral Literature Project aims to help cultures under threat
> from
> >> globalisation create lasting records of their native languages.
> >>
> >> Still in its inaugural year, the project led by Cambridge University's
> >> Museum of
> >> Archaeology and Anthropology, has already handed out around 10 grants to
> >> tribes
> >> from Mongolia to Nigeria - and the researchers admitted traditional
> >> British
> >> languages such as Cornish and Gaelic are also at risk.
> >>
> >> Experts are encouraging native people and anthropologists to capture
> >> myths, folk
> >> songs chants and poems in their dying languages through multi-media
> tools.
> >>
> >> Access full article below:
> >>
> >>
> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/6081874/Dying-languages-archived-for-future-generations.html
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Neskie Manuel
> Secwepemc Radio 91.1 FM
> http://secwepemcradio.ath.cx
> Ph: (866) 423-0911
>
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