Speaker: Tegau Andrews (Bangor University, Wales)
Uned Technolegau Iaith  /  Language Technologies Unit
Prifysgol Bangor     /   Bangor University

When: November 2, Wednesday
Where: Room 3.2
Time: 15.00
Title: From terminology standardization systems to machine translation: An overview of Welsh language technologies

Abstract:

An endangered language will progress if its speakers can make use of electronic technology” so postulates Wales-based linguistics professor David Crystal (Language Death, 2000: 141). Welsh, spoken by 20.8% of the population of Wales (Census 2001), is classed a vulnerable language by UNESCO, yet it is the Welsh Government’s stated aim to make Wales a truly bilingual nation.

This talk will focus on the progress being made in developing language technologies for Welsh speakers. It will range over topics such as Welsh machine translation, computer-aided translation tools, text-to-speech technology, terminology portals and e-learning resources, and present an overview of the work being done at the Terminology and Language Technologies Unit at Bangor University. The aim of such work is to enable and encourage Welsh speakers to use electronic technology in their own language.