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The AIATSIS Dictionaries Program: Supporting the strengthening of Australian Indigenous Languages

  • Lauren W. Reed , Alison L. Mount , Alexandra Marley , Kira Davey , Mahesh White-Radhakrishnan , Grace Smith , Kaitlyn Lodewikus and Tamarind Meara

Abstract

In this paper, we describe the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Dictionaries Program, which is part of the Australian government’s effort to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. We begin by situating the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages in Australia. This is followed by a description of the program’s history, and a discussion of some challenges of dictionary making given the linguistic features of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. We then take a deep dive into three dictionaries published via our program, focusing on a strong language, an endangered language, and a reawakening language.

Abstract

In this paper, we describe the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Dictionaries Program, which is part of the Australian government’s effort to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. We begin by situating the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages in Australia. This is followed by a description of the program’s history, and a discussion of some challenges of dictionary making given the linguistic features of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. We then take a deep dive into three dictionaries published via our program, focusing on a strong language, an endangered language, and a reawakening language.

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