The Talking Dictionary Project

Introduction

The Mi'gmaq-Mi'kmaq¹ Online Talking Dictionary project is more than half way to its goal of creating a 6,000-word language resource for the Mi'gmaq language. Our project takes advantage of technology to preserve and support our language, it is not just written, but spoken and heard. Like many aboriginal languages, Mi'gmaq continues to loose ground to English and French. The baseline age for speakers climbs with each passing year. While the number of human languages being lost world-wide continues to mount, the Mi'gmaq language still has a solid base of speakers. It is able to survive and thrive, but it needs serious, committed and vigorous support. This dictionary is one such support.

Purpose of Project

Mi'gmaq language conservation, retention and propagation.

Project Description

Three speakers record each word. Multiple speakers allow one to hear differences and variations in how a word is pronounced. Each recorded word is used in an accompanying phrase spoken by a single speaker. This permits learners the opportunity to develop the difficult skill of distinguishing individual words when they are spoken in a phrase. The data is searchable in English and Mi'gmaq. Words can also be accessed by category. The web pages display word records that are dynamically generated from a linguistic database. The software is derived from an XML parsing technology and is protected by a GPL (General Public License).

Our technology is a model that can be adapted by any aboriginal language. It is not bound by the limitations of location. In our instance, two colleagues work out of Listuguj (in the Gaspè), one colleague works out of Waterloo, Ontario and our web server is in Toronto.

Each word at the Mi'gmaq Online site includes:

• Mi'gmaq spellings for the word and sentence
• List of English glosses (meanings) and a translation for the word
• English translation for the sentence
• List of Mi'gmaq voiced files for word (different speakers) and sentence (one speaker)
• Plural spelling (nouns) or examples such as 1st.person singular, 1st person plural (verbs)
• Part of speech
• Pronunciation help spelling
• Dialect
• Literal translations (where applicable)
• Notes on a word, e.g. variant spellings, borrowed word, cross-references
• Inclusion in Word by category list (semantic domains)
• Optional graphic

An aspect that separates our work from the norm is that it is being done by, and, thus far has been supported by an aboriginal community rather than a university, the normal venue for this kind of work.

Project Members

Mi'gmaq Online has been supported, especially at its inception, by a significant amount of volunteer labor and resources. Everyone involved in the project first worked pro bono. Our most productive time has been the last two and a half years with financial support². from the Listuguj Mi'gmaq Government's Education Directorate³. They have used their resources to fund the three individuals who until recently worked full time on the project, and a linguist consultant. The two individuals who provide technical and computer services continue to provide their services pro bono.

The project members are:
Diane Mitchell project leader, dictionarist, voicing
Eunice Metallic dictionarist, voicing
Joe Wilmot dictionarist, voicing
Sean B. Haberlin technical advisor, system administrator
David Ziegler software developer
Watson Williams linguist consultant

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¹ Orthographic note: Several orthographies are commonly used to write Mi'gmaq. The project now posts material using the Listuguj writing system, the Smith-Francis writing system will be added later. "Mi'gmaq" (Listuguj orthography) is used in Quebec and New Brunswick; "Mi'kmaq" (Smith-Francis orthography) is used in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

² Other financial support has come from the Listuguj Mi'gmaq Development Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.

³With monies from Heritage Canada's Aboriginal Languages Initiative distributed by the Assembly of First Nations through the First Nations Education Council.