Linguists and language workers gathered this week at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York. The theme was “How will indigenous languages survive in the digital world”.
As, for example, voice-controlled AI takes an increasingly large place in our lives, further obstacles to using less language arise. The new technology does not keep up with the Sami language.
“They are not open to Sami languages”
One who spoke at the forum was Inga Lill Sigga Mikkelsen, engineer and linguist, in the development group for Sami language technology Divvun at the Arctic University of Norway.
– The big technology companies do not open their software programs and machines to the Sami languages. We create Sami language technology but do not get it introduced into programs that are used on a daily basis. This is serious because if our languages are to have a future, we must be able to use the language in all aspects of our lives, she says NRK Sápmi.
Will launch speech technology
At the same time, Divvun is now working on launching Sami speech technology later this year. But it won’t be allowed into the servers of the big tech giants either.
– Regardless of whether we work to develop what the indigenous and minority languages need, we will not be allowed in.
Divvun believes that online spelling is much worse and less user-friendly in Sami than in the majority languages.
– What they offer us is second-class quality, says Sjur Nørstebø Moshagen, director of the Divvungruppen.
Divvun has had meetings with Apple, Microsoft and Google.
– The meetings have been pleasant and positive. The problem has been that after the meetings nothing has happened.
Launched Sami keyboard
Earlier this year, Apple launched keyboards for eight Sami languages. Google writes in an email to NRK that they also hope to offer it in the future.
“It is important that everyone can read and write their language online, including Sami. We have an ambition to one day be able to support all the world’s languages. This is a work in progress and we now have over 100 languages available.”