In short, a language profile is a tool to make it easier and more engaging to incorporate underrepresented languages into linguistics classrooms.
More concretely, a language profile consists of:
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- A variety of datasets on the language for use in undergraduate linguistics classrooms
- Contextualizing information about the language and culture, including:
- Transcription and recording for language name pronunciations
- Map of where the language is spoken
- Numbers of speakers and endangerment status
- Sample text in the language Cultural information about food, music, etc., with pictures and links to videos where possible
This idea started as a response to noticeable gaps within linguistics teaching.
(1) To address some of the barriers to including under-represented languages in linguistics classrooms
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- Datasets from certain languages, like English, French, and German, tend to be more widely available
- Instructors are more likely to use data from other languages if they don’t need to construct the dataset themselves
- Instructors may not feel comfortable discussing a language if they don’t know anything about it, like how to pronounce the language name, where it’s spoken, etc.
(2) To emphasize to students that language isn’t a problem to solve or words on paper, but real language used by real people
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- Linguistics courses often present data as completely disconnected from the people who speak it
- Anecdotally, students who have the chance to work directly with language speakers or in-depth in a language often report feeling much more invested in linguistic diversity, language revitalization, and related issues
- Language profiles are a way to bring a mini version of this type of experience into far more linguistic classrooms
- The goal is to make languages come alive for students
We select languages based off of multiple criteria.
Typically, we choose languages that:
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- we don’t often see in linguistics classrooms
- have been historically marginalized and/or disadvantaged in some way, through genocide, colonization, language policies, etc.
- continue to feel effects today of historical marginalization
- our team is connected to, either knowing members of the community or belonging to the community themselves
By using these criteria, we can pick languages that will help diversify the field of linguistics teaching, while connecting with community members to ensure that they feel happy with how the profile represents them.
If you have personal connections to a language that you would like for us to make a profile of, please do not hesitate to contact us with your suggestions!
You can use language profiles in many different settings
In your classroom
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- Search by dataset type or by language to find language profiles usable for your class
- We have datasets for a wide variety of undergraduate linguistics courses
- Datasets can be used in lectures, assignments, tutorial problems, etc.
- In introducing the language, you can use as much or as little as you like of the profile
- You can direct also students to the website to explore the entire profile
- In your conference talks
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- Instead of a traditional background slide, use the context portion of a language profile!
As a field methods project
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- The Oromo language profile was created in part by students in Field Methods at University of Toronto Mississauga in Winter 2023
- You could use the language profile template as an exercise over the term in a field methods course
- If you do so and are willing to share, please get in touch!
- In the community
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- Profiles are designed to be as accessible as possible to non-linguists, to make them potentially useful to community organizations
- See “How are the language communities involved, and how do you give back to them?” for more information!
The involvement of the communities depends on what the community itself wants
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- We involve community members as much as possible in the creation of the profiles
- Many of the profiles have primary authors who are part of the language community
- In all cases, we consult extensively with community members, to ensure that they feel represented by the profile
- We involve community members as much as possible in the creation of the profiles
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- Where our community consultants request it, we tailor the profiles for dual use in the community
- Many linguistics datasets naturally lend themselves to becoming language teaching datasets with minor tweaks
- Examples include adding orthography (where applicable), making the explanations accessible to non-linguists, etc.
- The profiles may also be of use for instilling interest in the language and sharing the culture
- Many linguistics datasets naturally lend themselves to becoming language teaching datasets with minor tweaks
- Where our community consultants request it, we tailor the profiles for dual use in the community
We are committed to a community-based approach, collaborating with and giving back to the communities who speak the languages of this project
The lead on the project is Avery Ozburn, Assistant Professor at University of Toronto Mississauga
Our pedagogy consultant is Nathan Sanders, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, at University of Toronto
Our map consultant is Samuel Akinbo, soon to be Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto
We also have a large group of students, linguists, and native speakers working with us in various capacities, who are credited throughout the relevant spots on the website – please check out our Acknowledgements page!
Contacting us is the first step!
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- If you speak or work on a marginalized language that you would like to see included in the project, please contact us!
- We would love to work with you to incorporate the language into the project!
- Your level of involvement could range from just directing us to some resources for us to base the profile on and checking the final profile to being primary author through all stages
- If you have contributions to profiles that already exist, please contact us!
- Examples could include datasets that you already use in your courses and are willing to share
- If you would like to share activities you’ve done in your courses based on language profiles, please get in touch!
- See the idea about doing a language profile as a field methods exercise under “How can I use language profiles”!
- If you speak or work on a marginalized language that you would like to see included in the project, please contact us!
Please cite both the specific profile that you’re taking your information from and the general work “Language Profiles Project”
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- For the general work: Ozburn, Avery (ed.). 2023. Language Profiles Project. Available online at https://languageprofiles.ca/. Accessed on [date].
- For the specific profile, please check the citation page for that profile
- Please also check out our Acknowledgements page for more information on project funding, ethics, and the team behind the design.
