Documenting Endangered Languages: Achievements and Perspectives (Trends in Linguistics. Studies and Monographs [TiLSM] Book 240)

The rapid decline in the world's linguistic diversity has prompted the emergence of documentary linguistics. While documentary linguistics aims primarily at creating a durable, accessible and comprehensive record of languages, it has also been a driving force in developing language annotation and analysis software, archiving architecture, improved fieldwork methodologies, and new standards in data accountability and accessibility. More recently, researchers have begun to recognize the immense potential available in the archived data as a source for linguistic analysis, so that the field has become of increasing importance for typologists, but also for neighbouring disciplines. The present volume contains contributions by practitioners of language documentation, most of whom have been involved in the Volkswagen Foundation's __DoBeS__ programme (__Dokumentation Bedrohter Sprachen__). The topics covered in the volume reflect a field that has matured over the last decade and includes both retrospective accounts as well as those that address new challenges: linguistic annotation practice, fieldwork and interaction with speech communities, developments and challenges in archiving digital data, multimedia lexicon applications, corpora from endangered languages as a source for primary-data typology, as well as specific areas of linguistic analysis that are raised in documentary linguistics. The Rapid Decline In The World's Linguistic Diversity Has Prompted The Emergence Of Documentary Linguistics. While Documentary Linguistics Aims Primarily At Creating A Durable, Accessible And Comprehensive Record Of Languages, It Has Also Been A Driving Force In Developing Language Annotation And Analysis Software, Archiving Architecture, Improved Fieldwork Methodologies, And New Standards In Data Accountability And Accessibility. More Recently, Researchers Have Begun To Recognize The Immense Potential Available In The Archived Data As A Source For Linguistic Analysis, So That The Field Has Become Of Increasing Importance For Typologists, But Also For Neighbouring Disciplines. The Present Volume Contains Contributions By Practitioners Of Language Documentation, Most Of Whom Have Been Involved In The Volkswagen Foundation's Dobes Programme (dokumentation Bedrohter Sprachen). The Topics Covered In The Volume Reflect A Field That Has Matured Over The Last Decade And Includes Both Retrospective Accounts As Well As Those That Address New Challenges: Linguistic Annotation Practice, Fieldwork And Interaction With Speech Communities, Developments And Challenges In Archiving Digital Data, Multimedia Lexicon Applications, Corpora From Endangered Languages As A Source For Primary-data Typology, As Well As Specific Areas Of Linguistic Analysis That Are Raised In Documentary Linguistics.--publisher's Website. Preface. Ulrike Mosel's Contribution To Documentary Linguistics -- Introduction: Documenting Endangered Languages Before, During, And After The Dobes Programme. -- Part I. Theoretical Issues In Language Documentation. Competing Motivations For Documenting Endangered Languages ; Evolving Challenges In Archiving And Data Infrastructures ; Comparing Corpora From Endangered Language Projects: Explorations In Language Typology Based On Original Texts. -- Part Ii. Documenting Language Structure. Words In Kharia -- Phonological, Morpho-syntactic And Orthographical Aspects ; Aspect In Forest Enets And Other Siberian Indigenous Languages -- When Grammaticography And Lexicography Meet Different Metalanguages ; Documentary Linguistics And Prosodic Evidence For The Syntax Of Spoken Language ; Diphthongology Meets Language Documentation: The Finnish Experience ; Retelling Data: Working On Transcription. -- Part Iii. Documenting The Lexicon. The Making Of A Multimedia Encyclopaedic Lexicon For And In Endangered Speech Communities ; What Does It Take To Make An Ethnographic Dictionary? On The Treatment Of Fish And Tree Names In Dictionaries Of Oceanic Languages. -- Part Iv. Interaction With Speech Communities. Language Is Power: The Impact Of Fieldwork On Community Politics ; Sustaining Vurës: Making Products Of Language Documentation Accessible To Multiple Audiences ; Filming With Native Speaker Commentary. Edited By Geoffrey L.j. Haig ... [et Al.]. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

The rapid decline in the world's linguistic diversity has prompted the emergence of documentary linguistics. While documentary linguistics aims primarily at creating a durable, accessible and comprehensive record of languages, it has also been a driving force in developing language annotation and analysis software, archiving architecture, improved fieldwork methodologies, and new standards in data accountability and accessibility.

More recently, researchers have begun to recognize the immense potential available in the archived data as a source for linguistic analysis, so that the field has become of increasing importance for typologists, but also for neighbouring disciplines. The present volume contains contributions by practitioners of language documentation, most of whom have been involved in the Volkswagen Foundation's DoBeS programme (Dokumentation Bedrohter Sprachen).

The topics covered in the volume reflect a field that has matured over the last decade and includes both retrospective accounts as well as those that address new challenges: linguistic annotation practice, fieldwork and interaction with speech communities, developments and challenges in archiving digital data, multimedia lexicon applications, corpora from endangered languages as a source for primary-data typology, as well as specific areas of linguistic analysis that are raised in documentary linguistics.

Preface. Ulrike Mosel’s contribution to documentary linguistics 11 Chapter 1. Introduction 21 Part I. Theoretical issues in language documentation 35 Chapter 2. Competing motivations for documenting endangered languages 37 Chapter 3. Evolving challenges in archiving and data infrastructures 53 Chapter 4. Comparing corpora from endangered language projects: Explorations in language typology based on original texts 75 Part II. Documenting language structure 107 Chapter 5. “Words” in Kharia – Phonological, morpho-syntactic, and “orthographical” aspects 109 Chapter 6. Aspect in Forest Enets and other Siberian indigenous languages – when grammaticography and lexicography meet different metalanguages 141 Chapter 7. Documentary linguistics and prosodic evidence for the syntax of spoken language 171 Chapter 8. Diphthongology meets language documentation: The Finnish experience 197 Chapter 9. Retelling data: Working on transcription 221 Part III. Documenting the lexicon 241 Chapter 10. The making of a multimedia encyclopaedic lexicon for and in endangered speech communities 243 Chapter 11. What does it take to make an ethnographic dictionary? On the treatment of fish and tree names in dictionaries of Oceanic languages 283 Part IV. Interaction with speech communities 309 Chapter 12. Language is power: The impact of fieldwork on community politics 311 Chapter 13. Sustaining Vurës: Making products of language documentation accessible to multiple audiences 325 Chapter 14. Filming with native speaker commentary 341 Index 359 Documenting endangered languages has become a major goal in the linguistic sciences. This volume showcases recent developments in methodology, technology and analysis, drawing on experience gained in a global range of documentation projects. It illustrates the significance of documentary linguistics not only as a set of documentary practices, but as a scientific discipline in its own right Review text: "The lessons in this volume are indispensable contributions to the field that make significant advances in the practice of documentary linguistics as a whole. Any documentary linguist, whether weathered veterans or just entering the field, would be remiss to neglect the lessons from it."Daniel W. Hieber in Linguist List 23.2390