FastCompany reports on LiveAndTell

LiveAndTell, A Crowdsourced Quest To Save Native American Languages

FastCompany reports on the LiveAndTell Project. Originally set up "as an efficient, easy-to-use way to pass the Lakota Sioux language (and others) from older generations to younger ones", with a goal of "just lowering the barriers and the costs for everybody"; and described in the article as " an attempt to preserve endangered indigenous dialects such as Lakota and Ho Chunk"

The author comments that although there is plenty of learning material available in Spanish, French or German, "For Native American languages, there's a scarcity of learning materials,”. The article contrasts the organic, crowdsourcing nature of LiveAndTell with the scientific approach of Rosetta Stone.


Other projects mentioned in the article:

• Livemocha
• Rosetta Project
• Rosetta Stone Endangered Langueages Project

Rosetta Stone Inupiaq

Alaska natives team with Rosetta Stone

The Seattle Times reports that the North Slope Inupiaq version of Rosetta Stone language learning software is to be released in Spring.

The article comments on the state of Alaskan Languages, mentioning that only Inupiaq and Central Yup'ik have over 1000 speakers. And that Eyak is now extinct. It offers a poor prognosis for Inupiaq, stating that children are brought up in English Only Households.

The article also describes the distribution model of the software, with 800 free copies already having been distributed, and that 150 have been sold.

Another project from the Rosetta Stone Endangered Languages Programme has been mentioned in this blog: Rosetta Stone Navajo

Northern Paiute Scholar in the news

Ark. prof works to save endangered Indian language

This story started in the Arkensas Democrat-Gazette (content now behind paywall), and has been published by various papers since.

The story reports that Northern Paiute has about 300 speakers, most of whom are over 50. And that Professor Tim Thorne recorded 150-200 hours of oral literature in a six-week visit to Oregon.

Rosetta Stone Navajo

Rosetta Stone Endangered Language Program Releases Navajo

Bloomberg reports that, Rosetta Stone, through its Endangered Language programme, have released a Navajo version of their language learning software.

The report also mentions that a Chitimacha version has already been released, and lists Mohawk (Kanien’kéha), Iñupiaq and Inuttitut, as other languages in the programme.