Dear language lovers,

This is it, one year of existence, and www.sorosoro.org keeps improving everyday. Thanks to your contributions, and thanks to the efforts of the Sorosoro crew, our website, one of a kind, now stands as a reference drawing a bridge between scientific research and the public, with an audience growing constantly on all sides of the planet.

Sorosoro.org is now available in French, English and Spanish, and although these two last versions are still incomplete, they have drawn attention from a significant number of people not only in Europe, but also in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. So much activity (hint sent to Spanish users!) might well have to do with our important presence on Facebook as well as a recent Google Grant, providing better visibility on the Web.

Nice success especially for our Word of the Fortnight, which has seen 22 “universal” terms translated over the year, with 1200 contributions in 266 languages altogether, the most common being… Catalan, Kinyarwanda (Rwanda), Kachoube, Malagasi, Polish, Tamahaq (Tuareg) and Thai!

In short, our website is currently home to:

– around 70 short films in 8 different languages (3 Bantu, 2 Atlantic, and 2 Mayan languages), all subtitled in French, most subtitled in English;

– a world map able to locate 5,500 languages, searching either by continent, country, language or language family;

– 122 indexes on as many language families and 172 indexes on specific languages, spoken over all 5 continents;

– dozens of articles on languages in general, and more specifically on the endangered ones;

– references, listings of people working on the issue, links towards other structures working on similar subjects;

– an agenda, news, and a presse review;

– a quiz, an ABC;

And soon… a Blog! Top new feature of the Sorosoro website this fall. We’re about to open discussions here, and you’re all invited to participate. Our first topic of exploration is education in mother tongue, which will undoubtedly stir up a number comments and reactions…! Please remain on standby, kickoff happens on October 22.

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Meanwhile let us not forget the heart of the action of Sorosoro, the progessive elaboration of an audiovisual database, eventually growing into a Digital encyclopaedia of oral tradition languages and cultures.

We have filmed no less than 10 languages and cultures since the beginning of 2009, in 4 different countries of Africa, Latin America and Oceania.

Two expeditions were led in Gabon last year, conducted by linguists Patrick Mouguiama-Daouda and Jean-Marie Hombert. Another mission took place in Guatemala under the direction of linguists Juliana Sis Iboy and Juventino de Jesus Pérez Alonso.

This year we started our collaboration with the Sénélangues project, led by Stéphane Robert of the CNRS-based LLACAN laboratory, by setting up an expedition conducted by to young linguists from Senegal, Sokhna Bao Diop and Adjeratou O. Sall.

Not to mention the team on field as we speak in New Caledonia, under the direction of linguist Claire Moyse.

Roughly 230 hours of rushes (raw film material) have been collected so far, and are currently either under study or in process of indexation and archiving.

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Another great piece of news is the establishment of Sorosoro in India! Yes, Sorosoro is having babies, and is setting up Sorosoro Trust, a foundation under Indian Law, whose task will be to work on the country’s numerous languages (ca. 800-900). A lot of work on the table, but our partners there are amazing people, and of course we’ll get back to you in due time to show you the outcomes of these new endavours.

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For those of you who check in regularly, please do have a glimpse on this week’s newbies: the third part of the Ogoula & Ilombè tale, in Mpongwe (Gabon), and two dates to stick in your diaries, a conference on multilingual schooling in Nouméa, and another in Merida, Mexico, on linguistic processes and globalization.

In a warm conclusion… the word Love, waiting to be translated in your own language, whatever you speak, wherever you are.

Rozenn and the Sorosoro crew

Rozenn.milin@sorosoro.org

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www.sorosoro.org is created and run with the support of Orange

Filmshoots in New Caledonia and French Guiana are made possible thanks to the support of the DGLFLF (General Delegation for the French language and the languages of France) of the French Ministry of Culture.

The program as a whole is supported by the Fondation Chirac