With the formal conclusion of the International Year of Languages (IYL) on International Mother Language Day, I'd like to take a moment to ask: What did the IYL mean for Africa?
With any such observances, any analysis right afterward will of course not be able to take account of long-term or latent effects (e.g., people or organizations whose awareness was raised and whose later action is somehow affected). Nevertheless it's worth at least looking at what has been done.
A glance at the calendar of events in and outside of Africa shows a diversity of observance (this list is far from comprehensive, so pointers to other events and more information are invited):
The IYL also marked the beginning of the African Network for Localisation (ANLoc), a 3-year project which succeeded the PanAfrican Localisation project. These are part of a program of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada to support development of ICT in African languages.
African locales
Speaking of ANLoc, one of its subprojects that is working on compiling locales for African languages. A press release timed just before IMLD and the end of IYL appeals for help in this effort:
Thu, 19/02/2009 - 11:00
PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pan-African researchers unlock computers for African languages on Mother Language Day
In celebration of International Mother Language Day, a Pan African Network of computer and language experts is ensuring that computers are unlocked for mother tongue speakers.
ANLoc, The African Network for Localisation (pronounced Unlock), is a Pan-African network undertaking a number of projects to help eliminate technological barriers that prevent computers from being used by mother tongue speakers.
International Mother Language Day is hosted on 21 February each year by UNESCO and aims at raising awareness of mother tongue usage.
To celebrate International Mother Tongue Day the ANLoc locales sub-project is undertaking a special community driven push to enable African language technology. The locales sub-project is focused on creating 100 new African locales. A locale is a set of data that guides a computer to adapt to the local language and country. Locales contain information that instructs a computer on how to write essential basic information, such as the days of the week and month names in a given language, and how to write the monetary values for a given country. Once locale data is in place, Africans often enjoy a first class computer experience for the very first time. Locales impact how well a computer's spell checker works, finding and indexing of African language documents and searching using tools like Google.
The ANLoc Network is encouraging African language speakers in African and the diaspora to celebrate International Mother Language Day by helping to develop a locale for their language. Those wanting to contribute can visit http://o2.it46.se/afrigen to find out more about the importance and need for locales and how to contribute one for their language.
Information about the ANLoc Network and the various projects being undertaken to eliminate technological barriers for African language in the digital age can be found here at http://africanLocalisation.net.
With any such observances, any analysis right afterward will of course not be able to take account of long-term or latent effects (e.g., people or organizations whose awareness was raised and whose later action is somehow affected). Nevertheless it's worth at least looking at what has been done.
A glance at the calendar of events in and outside of Africa shows a diversity of observance (this list is far from comprehensive, so pointers to other events and more information are invited):
- 5-7 March - Southern Africa Regional Conference on "National Policies: The role of cross-border languages and the place of lesser used languages" (sponsored by ACALAN and held in Johannesburg, South-Africa). See Minister Z. P. Jordan's keynote address c
- 22-24 April - East Africa Regional Conference on "National Policies: The role of cross-border languages and the place of lesser used languages" (sponsored by ACALAN and held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.) No link found.
- 28 May - Conférence-débat « Les langues africaines, facteur d'intégration » (tenu à l'UNESCO, Paris dans le cadre de la Journée (semaine) de l'Afrique, qui avait comme thème « Langues africaines et l’enfant africain »)
- 18 October - Launch of the International Year of Languages in Botswana (per article in Mmegi)
- 23 October - Golden jubilee of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. This famous Nigerian author now intends to translate this work into his first language, Igbo.
- 28 Oct. - 4 Nov. - "Somalia: The Word and the Way to a Better World" (Somali Literature Festival with a "Somali Language and Literature Day" and touring book display, in London). Alternate link.
The IYL also marked the beginning of the African Network for Localisation (ANLoc), a 3-year project which succeeded the PanAfrican Localisation project. These are part of a program of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada to support development of ICT in African languages.
African locales
Speaking of ANLoc, one of its subprojects that is working on compiling locales for African languages. A press release timed just before IMLD and the end of IYL appeals for help in this effort:
Thu, 19/02/2009 - 11:00
PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pan-African researchers unlock computers for African languages on Mother Language Day
In celebration of International Mother Language Day, a Pan African Network of computer and language experts is ensuring that computers are unlocked for mother tongue speakers.
ANLoc, The African Network for Localisation (pronounced Unlock), is a Pan-African network undertaking a number of projects to help eliminate technological barriers that prevent computers from being used by mother tongue speakers.
International Mother Language Day is hosted on 21 February each year by UNESCO and aims at raising awareness of mother tongue usage.
To celebrate International Mother Tongue Day the ANLoc locales sub-project is undertaking a special community driven push to enable African language technology. The locales sub-project is focused on creating 100 new African locales. A locale is a set of data that guides a computer to adapt to the local language and country. Locales contain information that instructs a computer on how to write essential basic information, such as the days of the week and month names in a given language, and how to write the monetary values for a given country. Once locale data is in place, Africans often enjoy a first class computer experience for the very first time. Locales impact how well a computer's spell checker works, finding and indexing of African language documents and searching using tools like Google.
The ANLoc Network is encouraging African language speakers in African and the diaspora to celebrate International Mother Language Day by helping to develop a locale for their language. Those wanting to contribute can visit http://o2.it46.se/afrigen to find out more about the importance and need for locales and how to contribute one for their language.
Information about the ANLoc Network and the various projects being undertaken to eliminate technological barriers for African language in the digital age can be found here at http://africanLocalisation.net.
