[RNLD List] Timeframes for Dictionaries

[Jacqui Cook]

Hi Harley,

It depends on the community and on how far along you are in understanding the language and getting the material together. Several years for most cases, in my experience! A few key questions that will help you to estimate how much further you have to go:


  1.  Have you had community workshops to decide how you’re going to write it down?
  2.  Do you have recordings or are you working off old wordlists? It’s much easier to know what sounds are in the language if you have at least some recordings.
  3.  Do you have all the words written out using a community approved writing system? This can take a surprising amount of time!
  4.  Have you figured out what grammatical information you have and what is missing? If you have a lot missing, are you going to talk to TOs of related languages about borrowing some of their grammatical material?
  5.  Do you know how the grammar works or are you still analysing it?

We have been 2 years doing just a dictionary reprint in sound for 2 of the languages here! So it can definitely take time...

Good luck!



Jacqui Cook

Linguist, Bundiyarra - Irra Wangga Language Centre

p: 08 9920 7900| e: linguist at irrawangga.org.au<mailto:linguist at irrawangga.org.au> | w: www.bundiyarra.com<https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bundiyarra.com%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cmaia.ponsonnet%40uwa.edu.au%7C07df0fc7556c48f255db08d827a571c7%7C05894af0cb2846d8871674cdb46e2226%7C1%7C0%7C637302938825906677&sdata=aqpIUkC%2FUOUozNmd1EH61ll6wHfqmJR1rQ6CAKR9E5w%3D&reserved=0>

From: Harley Dunolly-Lee<mailto:harley.dunollylee123 at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, 20 May 2021 12:58 PM
To: resource-network-linguistic-diversity at listserv.linguistlist.org<mailto:resource-network-linguistic-diversity at listserv.linguistlist.org>
Subject: [RNLD List] Timeframes for Dictionaries

Hello fellow speech crafts

I am emailing to ask what is the average timeframe for a dictionary word list including grammar for languages that are sleeping??

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