[LI] Empty Africa in map of language tech; planning for IDIL 2022-2032

A reply and a post to LinkedIn on topics related to the place of African languages in the world. The reply concerned a world map of language technology with nothing on the African continent (or for that matter, Latin America and the Middle East). I've long suggested that multilingual Africa should be a leader in …

[LI] African languages: “linguistic famine”; their place in fiction

Two posts of articles about the situation of African languages in Africa today. Both portray that situation as dire, using terms like "burial" and "abandonment." "The linguistic famine," by Rasna Warah, Africa is a Country, September 2020 (posted September 2020) "...the burial of African languages by Africans themselves has ensured their total immersion into colonial …

[LI] African languages as indigenous languages?

UNESCO, IYIL2019, & AU/ACALAN logos from the Africa Regional Meeting on IYIL2019 We're two-thirds of the way through the International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL2019), and it seems that there's still a big question in the background: Do African languages count as indigenous languages? This is significant as there is an active discussion of expanding IYIL2019 to a Decade …

[LI] Sociolinguistics of development & girls’ education in Africa

Two separate items posted on LinkedIn in August & October 2017 relating to the importance of languages in development, and first language instruction for increasing girls' education levels in Africa. Sociolinguistics of Development in Africa (posted 23 August 2017)  Finally reading Paulin Djité's Sociolinguistics of Development in Africa, 2008. Shd be req'd for all in …

[LI] African languages & mobile phones

Two items on mobiles in Africa, one of which deals explicitly with language interfaces, the other of which evidently doesn't broach the question. Posted on LinkedIn in summer 2017. "MTN Zambia executive details language challenges," MobileWorldLive.com, 12 July 2017 (posted July 2017) Interesting account of MTN Zambia's offering of services in 7 Zambian languages (in …

“Lost Crops of Africa”

Lost Crops of Africa: ... Read this FREE online!Full Book The third and final volume of the Lost Crops of Africa series was recently published by the National Academies Press. Its topic is Fruits. I just received a copy, as well as a one of the second volume on Vegetables, which was published two years …