Jane’s last post and a post on the ever excellent Language Log have got me thinking about permanence and accountability in the internet age. Its a theme that I encounter again and again, working for a digital archive.
Experience
FollowHow do we know what they see? Field linguists and the appearance of things
Vivid pink plum trees, white cherry trees, soft masses of yellow wattle, japonica hedges with pink flowers leaping out of new green leaves, white cockatoos browsing on the ground. That was Canberra during the Rematerialising colour conference at ANU’s Centre for Cross-Cultural Research. How does the outsider linguist find out if speakers of another language have colour terms? This important question for field linguists and lexicographers was raised in two papers on the Australian language Warlpiri by David Nash and Anna Wierzbicka.
Sustainable data from digital fieldwork: “from creation to archive and back”
Many academic disciplines depend on analysis of primary data captured during fieldwork. Increasingly, researchers today are using digital methods for the whole life cycle of their primary data, from capture to organisation, submission to a repository or archive, and later access and dissemination in publications, teaching resources and conference presentations. This conference and workshop will showcase a number of projects that have been developing innovative and sustainable ways of managing such data.
A Blackwood by the Beach for Papuanists
After a couple of very enjoyable Australianist mini-conferences at Crommelin Field Station, James McElvenny from Sydney University has decided to organise the same for Papuan Languages!. We’re hoping to replicate the laid back style of the Blackwood by the Beach conferences, but specifically for Papuan languages. Read on for more details.
Foundation for Endangered Languages – OGMIOS newsletter
The latest Ogmios newsletter has just appeared as a pdf – lots of information about what’s happening around the world, including excellent links to work on Indigenous languages around the world as well as reprints of interesting articles (local plug: they’ve reprinted Nicolas Rothwell’s rave review of Allan Marett’s book on Australian Aboriginal music) . … Read more