Mapping Endangered Languages and Dictionaries
Research Question
The Mapping Endangered Languages and Dictionaries Project focuses on endangered languages around the world and efforts to preserve and revitalize them by the creation of innovative dictionaries.
By investigating how best to write dictionaries that document and describe endangered languages before they disappear, this project assesses the importance of collaboration in dictionary-making and the creation of different types of dictionaries written for specific targeted audiences and sociolinguistic contexts. Originally supported and funded by Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, our dataset consists of extensive records on 220 endangered languages including where they are spoken, by whom (children or adults), degree of description thus far (details on dictionaries), software, dictionary use within the community, desire for an online forum, and indigenous community needs.
There is an urgency among linguists and indigenous communities to document, describe, archive, and revitalize endangered languages. Dictionaries play an important role in this process, and this project assesses patterns in the dictionary-making process, dictionary format, dictionary content, dictionary use, and dictionary funding around the world. It is hoped that these observations will contribute to the development and sharing of innovative lexicographic methodologies, policies, and practices that are sensitive to various sociolinguistic contexts. Further reading on this topic:
Research Team
Sarah Ogilvie (Oxford) Principal Investigator
Nicole Coleman (Stanford)
Student Research Assistants
Gwynn Lyons (Stanford)
Kenny Smith (Stanford)
We gratefully acknowledge the following institutions for their generous support and funding:
Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge
