Learner’s Guide Template
This resource is both a “how-to” guide and Plain English template for writing a learner's guide for an Indigenous Australian language. It has been written with Pama-Nyungan revitalisation languages in mind (but may be useful for others as well!). The template is written in accessible language to help non-linguists decode academic grammars so they can make a community-friendly resource. It also suggests a structure for their learner’s guide, and provides template text that can be used or adapted to suit the language:
Part 1: Speak your language! Useful words and phrases
Part 2: How your language works – Putting words and sentences together
The Template has been designed as a Google Doc - an easy-to-use format which allows for real time remote collaboration. While we can also provide the Template in other formats (eg. Word doc or PDF), we strongly encourage you to take full advantage of the benefits Google Docs offer.
Sample pages (for illustrative purposes only)
RNLD email discussion list
The Resource Network for Linguistic Diversity (RNLD) email discussion list has provided an active forum for language maintenance practitioners since 2004. Most members are linguists, minority and endangered language activists and campaigners, and others with an interest in the field.
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To subscribe or unsubscribe to the RNLD email list, head to the list’s page at LinguistList and follow the directions.
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Search the archived messages
Archived RNLD discussions are via Linguist List which maintains a searchable archive of all past messages here.
Australian language centres & organisations supporting language work
Language centres
The language centre model was first developed in Australia in 1984, with the foundation of the Kimberley Language Resource Centre in the northwest of Western Australia. Language centres are typically established and managed regionally, and thus are well-equipped to understand and meet the needs of local language communities. Some of the activities of a centre include coordinating local research projects, training staff in formal courses and through apprenticeship, hiring external linguists as necessary on short and longer-term contracts, acting as regional repositories and archives for data, and as resource production centres.
We will soon have an up-to-date list of Australian language centres here. In the meantime, see First Language Australia’s comprehensive map of language centres.