Language documentation tools and methods: Difference between revisions

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The field of [[language documentation]] in the modern context involves a complex and ever-evolving set of tools and methods, and the study and development of their use -– and, especially, identification and promotion of best practices -– can be considered a sub-field of [[language documentation]] proper.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/ldtoolssummit/home|title=LD Tools Summit|website=sites.google.com|access-date=2016-06-02}}</ref> Among these are ethical and recording principles, workflows and methods, hardware tools, and software tools.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Linguistic Fieldwork -– Springer|last=Bowern|first=Claire|doi=10.1057/9780230590168|year = 2008|isbn = 978-0-230-54538-0}}</ref>

== Principles and workflows ==

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=== Ethics ===

Ethical practices in language documentation have been the focus of much recent discussion and debate.<ref>Austin, Peter K. 2010. 'Communities, ethics and rights in language documentation.' In Peter K. Austin, Ed., ''Language Documentation and Description Vol 7''. London, SOAS: 34-54.</ref> The [[Linguistic Society of America]] has prepared an [http://www.linguisticsociety.org/sites/default/files/Ethics_Statement.pdf Ethics Statement], and maintains an [https://lsaethics.wordpress.com/about/ Ethics Discussion Blog] which is primarily focused on ethics in the language documentation context. The [[First Peoples' Cultural Council]] and [[Endangered Languages Project]] have released a [http://fpcc.ca/linguistcode Linguist's Code of Conduct] for engaging in documentation work. The morality of ethics protocols has itself been brought into question by [[George van Driem]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=van Driem|first=George|date=2016|title=Endangered Language Research and the Moral Depravity of Ethics Protocols|journal=Language Documentation and Conservation 10: 243-252|hdl=10125/24693}}</ref> Most postgraduate programs that involve some form of language documentation and description require researchers to submit their proposed protocols to an internal Institutional Review Board which ensures that research is being conducted ethically. Minimally, participants should be informed of the process and the intended use of the recordings, and give recorded audible or written permission for the audiovisual materials to be used for linguistic investigation by the researcher(s). Many participants will want to be named as consultants, but others will not - this will determine whether the data needs to be anonymized or restricted from public access.

=== Data Formats ===

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*[https://web.library.yale.edu/digital-initiatives/digitization-standards-and-guidelines/audiovisual Yale University Library] audiovisual guidelines

Most current archive standards for [[video]] use MPEG-4 (H264) as an encoding or storage format, which includes an AAC audio stream (generally of up to 320 &nbsp;kbit/s). [[Sound quality|Audio]] archive quality is at least WAV 44.1 &nbsp;kHz, 16-bit.

=== Principles for recording ===

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Directional microphones should be used in most cases, in order to isolate a speaker's voice from other potential noise sources. However, omnidirectional microphones may be preferred in situations involving larger numbers of speakers arrayed in a relatively large space. Among directional microphones, [[Cardioid microphone|cardioid]] microphones are suitable for most applications, however in some cases a [[hypercardioid]] ("shotgun") microphone may be preferred.

Good quality headset microphones are comparatively expensive, but can produce recordings of extremely high quality in controlled situations.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Švec|first1=Jan G.|last2=Granqvist|first2=Svante|date=2010-11-01|title=Guidelines for Selecting Microphones for Human Voice Production Research|url=https://ajslp.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=1767774|journal=American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology|language=en|volume=19|issue=4|pages=356–368|doi=10.1044/1058-0360(2010/09-0091)|pmid=20601621|issn=1058-0360|url-access=subscription}}</ref> [[Lavalier microphone|Lavalier]] or "lapel" microphones may be used in some situations, however, depending on the microphone they can produce recordings which are inferior to a headset microphone for phonetic analysis, and are subject to some of the same concerns that headset microphones are in terms of restriction of a recording to a single speaker - while other speakers may be audible on the recording, they will be backgrounded in relation to the speaker wearing the lavalier microphone.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Brixen|first=Eddy|date=1996-05-01|title=Spectral Degradation of Speech Captured by Miniature Microphones Mounted on Persons' Heads and Chests|url=http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=7495|journal=Audio Engineering Society Convention 100|language=en}}</ref>

Some good quality microphones used for film-making and interviews include the [http://www.rode.com/microphones/video Røde VideoMic shotgun and the Røde lavalier series], [http://www.shure.com/americas/products/microphones/beta/beta-53-headworn-microphone Shure headworn mics] and [http://www.shure.com/americas/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&keyword=lavalier#keyword=lavalier&category_1=Microphones Shure lavaliers]. Depending on the recorder and microphone, additional [[Audio and video interfaces and connectors|cables]] (XLR, stereo/mono converter or a [https://www.amazon.com/Rode-SC3-3-5mm-TRRS-Adaptor/dp/B00L6C8PNU TRRS to TRS adapter]) will be necessary.

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== Film ==

The 2021 Indian documentary film [[Dreaming of Words]] traces the life and work of [[Njattyela Sreedharan]], a fourth standard drop-out, who compiles a multilingual dictionary connecting four major [[Dravidian languages]] [[Malayalam]], [[Kannada]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bookofachievers.com/articles/82-yo-compiles-dictionary-of-4-dravidian-languages-useful-ofcourse|title = 82-year-old Kerala man's Dictionary is in the four Dravidian languages. 25 long years to compile}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/246205/83-yo-kerala-school-dropout-creates-unique-dictionary-in-4-south-indian-languages-vid01/|title=83-YO Kerala School Dropout Creates Unique Dictionary in 4 South Indian Languages|date=31 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/for-keralites-door-opens-to-three-other-dravidian-languages/article32986464.ece|title = For Keralites, door opens to three other Dravidian languages|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 30 October 2020|last1 = Sajit|first1 = C. p.}}</ref> Travelling across four states and doing extensive research, he spent twenty five years<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://silvertalkies.com/the-man-who-wrote-a-dictionary-in-four-languages/|title=The Man Who Wrote A Dictionary In Four Languages -– Silver Talkies|website=silvertalkies.com}}</ref> making this multilingual dictionary.

== See also ==