25 March 2026
The University of Zululand recently played host to a dynamic and impactful two-day Corpus Creation and Linguistic Text Processing Tools Workshop, held at its KwaDlangezwa campus on 17–18 March 2026. Facilitated by SADiLaR’s Project Manager and Unisa Node, Ms Marissa Griesel, under the ESCALATOR programme, the workshop brought together Computer Science students and academic staff in a collaborative effort to strengthen skills in corpus development, data management, and linguistic annotation.
The workshop formed part of ongoing initiatives led by SADiLaR to advance digital language resource development and promote the integration of South African languages into cutting-edge technological spaces.
Proceedings on the first day opened with an introduction to SADiLaR and the ESCALATOR programme, setting the stage for a deeper understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of Natural Language Processing (NLP). Given the predominantly computer science background of participants, emphasis was placed on the critical role of linguistic expertise in developing robust and contextually relevant NLP systems for South African languages.
Participants were then introduced to key principles of data stewardship, including adherence to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data management standards and the importance of comprehensive metadata description. These discussions sparked meaningful engagement, with attendees reflecting on how structured data practices can enhance the visibility, usability, and long-term impact of their research outputs.
The second day shifted towards hands-on application, allowing participants to engage directly with tools available through the SADiLaR digital infrastructure. Activities included accessing and downloading existing language resources, as well as performing linguistic annotation tasks such as part-of-speech tagging using NCHLT web services. These practical sessions enabled participants to translate theoretical concepts into applicable skills relevant to their academic and professional pursuits.
Throughout the workshop, facilitator Marissa Griesel provided valuable guidance on integrating these methodologies into postgraduate research and future projects. The presence of staff from the isiZulu Language Department further enriched discussions, opening avenues for interdisciplinary collaboration between language specialists and computer scientists.
With strong attendance and an atmosphere of active participation, the workshop proved to be both intellectually stimulating and practically empowering. It underscored the growing importance of collaborative, cross-disciplinary approaches in advancing language technologies and ensuring the inclusion of South African languages in the digital era.
By: Marissa Griesel
Photos by: Nonjabulo Sanelisiwe Khuzwayo