[lg policy] Australia: Using Smart Technology to Preserve Aboriginal Languages

[Harold Schiffman]

Using Smart Technology to Preserve Aboriginal Languages
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[image: 521047517]
<http://languagemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/521047517-e1425497788244.jpg>Like
the United States, Australia has no official language but is largely
monolingual in English. However, before the 18th century the country was
home to over 350 Aboriginal languages. To this day about 70 of these
languages have survived and all except roughly 20 are highly endangered. In
response to this, the New South Wales (NSW) Government created a plan for
Aboriginal affairs in 2013. Called OCHRE – opportunity, choice, healing,
responsibility, empowerment – the plan aims to support more Aboriginal
students in their schools and communities, especially through the teaching
of Aboriginal languages.

Recently, the NSW Aboriginal affairs minister Victor Dominello announced
$185,000 in funding for the development of an app to support the
maintenance and revitalization of five Aboriginal languages local to New
South Wales. The mobile app will provide audio recordings of commonly used
words and phrases as well as translation games in the languages of
Bundjalung, Gamilaraay/ Yuwaalaraay/ Yuwaalayaay, Gumbaynggirr, Paakantji
and North West Wiradjuri. Dominello says, “Once developed, the app will
enable knowledge holders – Aboriginal community elders, language teachers,
and students – to work collectively to learn and record traditional
language.”

After 20 years of pushing for Australia’s Indigenous languages to be
taught, language program coordinator Diane McNaboe says she is finally
starting to see a big breakthrough. The integration of smart technology and
mobile apps in language learning may help endangered Aboriginal Australian
languages and set the stage for other Indigenous language speakers to do
the same.

http://languagemagazine.com/?page_id=123175


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