Saving Endangered Languages with the Rosetta Project

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/05/28/NetSquared_Social_Actions_Your_Mapper_Rosetta

JD Ross Leahy, Archive Manager for the Rosetta Project, explains the importance of preserving languages and the implications of language loss.

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A NetSquared panel featuring speakers from Social Actions, Your Mapper and Rosetta Project. This event was moderated by John Hoffman of ZeroDivide.

This year's NetSquared Conference, a Mashup Challenge, brings together a unique mix of people from the public and private sectors to develop and release Mashups designed to provide deeper insight into the social issues affecting communities around the globe.

JD Ross Leahy is the Rosetta Project Archive Manager. He holds a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Oregon.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• rosetta
• project
• speech
• communication
• environmental
• degradation
• grammar
• oral
• tradition
• long
• now
• foundation
• foratv
• fora.tv
• fora
• tv

[teddythefrency]

Some languages are endangered in the West too, like, by example Occitan, Breton or Sami.

It is similar than the problematics of animal and vegetal biodiversity.

My parents and my wife are issued from a lot of linguistics minorities, I am a Frenchman, but I am a Gascon, with relatives in the Middle-East (aramaic, and overseas(creole speaking islands)... every language is a treasure, every dialect is a chance...to learn more languages and discover respectfully new cultures little or big.

[TsalagiMic]

My tribe researched about with this company. They don't give us the master copy of the audio files. To me they are just collecting these languages so in the future when our languages die they can sell it. I would advise all tribes to think carefully before working with them.

[MattonRunescape]

IM IN IT TO DO IT!

[Gwynsek]

Well said ! But, the denouncement TsalagiMic has just made about the project is also worrying.

I hope this issue is solved cause they do need to be protected.

[dayron25]

you don't understand. Its not about being forced to talk in a language no one else talks, its about preserving one's culture and way of thinking. Many people have lost their native languages because of the demand of having the main language spoken only. Why should they have to give in to the majority? its their culture and language.

[thegrandpoobah1990]

it's easy for you to say that a small tribe of bushpeople or whatever should preserve their language, but why should they if they don't want to? why should they be forced to speak a language that no one else can understand, holds them back economically and separates them from the rest of the community at large?

[Wohali100]

Yes. You're right. They charge $200,000 for the first level, come in and record with our last fluent native speakers, then give us 1000 copies of CDs then if we need more we have to pay $200 plus to get an extra copy. In other words, they are trying to sell our language back to us. Beware of this company!

[qualqui]

ghbarnes: Thanx for the info' = )

[ghbarnes]

that's second largest GLOBAL retailer in terms of profit and third in revenue after Walmart and Carrefour...

[ghbarnes]

Tesco is a chain of supermarkets in the UK that have opened branches everywhere. It is the second largest retailer in terms of profit with shops in Malaysia, Poland, China and it is estimated that 1 in every 7 pounds spent in the UK is spent in a Tesco store. In one area of London, Twickenham, around £51 out of every £100 is spent in Tescos.

[qualqui]

Awesome vid, many thanx for the invite to watch the full version,.....or as i should say in the language of my grandfathers, Tlaskamati tinocneauh, xicmotla 'palhui nopampa! translation: Thanx my friend, greetings to you on my behalf! = )