Support for workshops at the 2nd International Conference on Language Documentation and Conservation (ICLDC); to be held in February 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii

University Of Hawaii, Honolulu

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports a special colloquium at the 2nd Conference for Language Documentation and Conservation to be held in Hawaii in 2011. The proposal focuses on the use of video as a medium for documentation and explores the various ways that this is envisioned as a research tool. Research practices in documentation can be vastly improved if a quality corpus of video recordings can be established. Training in this area is critical and will be provided as part of the pre-conference training session. Video can also serve as the medium in which to reintroduce archival records, thus assisting in language revitalization efforts. Furthermore, the use of endangered languages in popular movies has also had an impact both on the local community, and on the broader understanding of the nature and diversity of Indigenous languages. This project brings practitioners of all three of these styles of film-making together to encourage students to consider novel techniques in their own practice. The development of video records of linguistic performance will provide a better base for future analysis as more of the context of the performance is available in film than has been the case for traditional linguistic fieldnotes. Training students in the use of these techniques will ensure they develop appropriate practices and keep abreast of suitable research methodology.