2019 has been proclaimed as the International Year of Indigenous Languages (UN Resolution 71178 on the Rights of Indigenous People). The steady decline and in some cases the critical loss of such languages have brought to the fore efforts for the promotion and revitalisation of endangered and minority languages in general. Against this backdrop, the EU is committed to safeguard the existence and the future of what it calls Endangered Languages. The Council of Europe’s Charter for Regional or Minority Languages specifically emphasises education and language learning as key priorities, given the lack of provision of education within minority language communities; in some states for example the only possibility of learning the often endangered minority language is as a ‘foreign’ language subject. In this context, the priorities of our project are aligned with EU priorities and initiatives to protect and promote the EU’s 128 endangered languages (see 2013 report by the EP DG “Endangered Languages and Linguistic Diversity in the European Union”). According to UNESCO a language is endangered when its speakers stop using it or use it less often and stop passing it on to the next generation. Our project, IndyLan, will develop an educational tool designed specifically for users to learn not only some of Europe’s endangered languages but also more about the cultures of the people who speak these languages. The tool constitutes a gamified language-learning solution in the form of a mobile application. Smartphones have become a popular educational tool and the number of the smartphone and tablet users of all ages is constantly growing in the EU. The IndyLan application will help speakers of English, Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish to learn Gaelic (designated as ‘definitely endangered’), Scots (‘severely endangered’), Cornish (‘critically endangered’), Basque (‘severely endangered’), Galician (a minority language) and Saami (‘severely endangered’). The application is building on a previous project, Moving Languages, with the key difference that IndyLan will produce one application for all languages, and not multiple language-specific applications as Moving Languages did. IndyLan will contain around 4,000 vocabulary items (both terms and expressions) in about 100 categories. The modes that will be available in the application are: Vocabulary; Phrases; Dialogues; Grammar; Culture; Test. The vocabulary can be practised in several study modes, such as (the list below is indicative): 1. Flashcards for image+text practice 2. Choose the image according to the word 3. Select translation 4. Multiple choice with images 5. Multiple choice with words 6. Matching 7. Choose the letters 8. Write the missing word 9. Listening comprehension (with audio files) Most of the items will be illustrated for easy concept recognition. There will be audio for all vocabulary, phrases, dialogues etc. The app will also include a dedicated Culture tab with texts, music and images, where users will be able to learn more about the heritage and culture of the people speaking the selected endangered languages. The IndyLan application will be available for download globally for free in both iOS and Android. Like all language-learning apps, IndyLan is complementary to other language- and culture courses and can be considered to be part of self-study material. Our vision is for the IndyLan app to contribute to endangered language learning and revitalisation so that these languages remain alive and relevant in contemporary societies and economies.
The priorities of our project were aligned with EU priorities and initiatives to protect and promote the EU's 128 endangered languages (cf 2013 EP DG report 'Endangered Languages and Linguistic Diversity in the European Union'). Our goal was to deliver an educational tool specifically designed and targeted at supporting endangered languages in Europe. Our vision was for the IndyLan app to contribute to endangered language learning and revitalisation so that these languages remain alive and relevant in contemporary societies. More importantly, we aimed at developing an educational tool to teach users more about the cultures of the people who speak these languages, not just the languages themselves. The IndyLan app would build on the Moving Languages project (www.movinglanguages.eu). However, while Moving Languages created separate apps for the respective languages, IndyLan would produce one single app for all languages, to avoid confusion and a diluted output. The project would be carried out transnationally to get the language and cultural knowhow of the partners and for maximum dissemination. Partners would share good practice on initiatives taken in other countries and regions (the Saami initiatives are a case in point).
The IndyLan project was built on a previous project, Moving Languages (2016-1-FI01-KA204-022678), which designed an app for the linguistic and cultural inclusion of newly arrived migrants and refugees. Feedback from the Moving Languages project demonstrated an interest in learning all the languages of host countries, not just the dominant ones. Indeed there was a clear need for such a tool, as major language apps such as Duolingo or Linguascope did not cover indigenous or lesser spoken languages (this has since changed, but they still do not offer all IndyLan languages and they do not focus on culture or indigenous people at all). In addition to this, 2019 was proclaimed as the International Year of Indigenous Languages (UN Resolution 71178 on the Rights of Indigenous People) and the UN declared 2022 -2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, “to draw attention to the critical status of many Indigenous languages across the world and encourage action for their preservation, revitalization and promotion” (UN website). UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing classifies Scots and Basque as vulnerable, Gaelic and Northern Saami as definitely endangered, and Cornish as critically endangered.