Latest News

  • SADiLaR workshop highlights benefits of online dictionaries

    The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) recently facilitated a successful online-dictionary training workshop at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). Hosted by UKZN’s University Language Planning and Development Office (ULPDO) on 7 December 2023, the one-day workshop invited staff, students, and language practitioners to delve into the world of online dictionaries and discover…

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  • South Africa joins CLARIN ERIC as member

    After a fruitful five years as an observer of CLARIN ERIC, South Africa has become an official member of the distributed digital infrastructure as of 1 January 2024. South Africa is the first member country outside of Europe, and SADiLaR is the proud representative body for SA. Currently, CLARIN ERIC has 24 members and two…

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  • Digital footprint crucial for indigenous language preservation

    “The work that is being done by SWiP is highly commendable. The key message of today’s meeting for me is the importance of preserving our languages. As a Zulu speaker, it is crucial that isiZulu does not die.” These are the words of Tholakele Nkwanyana, a lecturer in Education and Language Development at North-West University…

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  • SADiLaR shines spotlight on research during spring conference season

    The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) enjoyed a strong representation during South Africa’s spring conference season. Several of its digital humanities researchers showcased their research at a series of conferences which took place across South Africa during September and October 2023.

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  • ATKV dictionary award a feather in SADiLaR’s cap

    The first-ever dictionary for N|uu, one of South Africa’s highly endangered minority languages with only one remaining fluent speaker, has been awarded the ATKV Wordwise Prize (Woordwystoekenning) for 2023 at the ATKV Woordveertjies (Afrikaans Language and Culture Association Word Feathers), an annual celebration of outstanding contributions around the Afrikaans word.

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  • SWiP project to champion SA’s indigenous languages online

    “The dislocation of our languages is perpetuated by not having pride to speak one’s own mother tongue. We can only say a language is developed when it has doctors, professors, writers and artists who write down their work, poems and songs in isiNdebele. I am grateful for the support and efforts to develop our language…

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  • DH-IGNITE: Digital upskilling in the spotlight at third regional event

    The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) recently hosted another successful DH-IGNITE regional event at the Premier Hotel O.R. Tambo in Kempton Park, Gauteng. Humanities and social sciences staff and students from public universities in Gauteng, Northern Cape, Free State and North West joined the three-day event from 23 to 25 August 2023 to upskill…

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  • New Carpentries-certified instructor trainers to bolster digital skills in research

    Two digital humanities researchers from the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) have been included in The Carpentries’ newest cohort of certified instructor trainers. Following the completion of a 10 week-long ‘Train-the-Trainer’ course, Mmasibidi Setaka and Rooweither Mabuya are now certified to train and certify Carpentries instructors. The Carpentries is a leading non-profit…

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  • SADiLaR researcher selected for Open Seeds OLS-8 cohort

    A digital humanities researcher from the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) has been selected for the next cohort of the Open Life Science (OLS) Open Seeds programme, an international mentoring and training programme for early stage researchers and young leaders interested in applying open principles in their work and becoming open science…

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  • SADiLaR collaboration seeks to preserve SA’s indigenous languages online

    The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) is collaboratively launching an exciting new initiative with the world’s largest encyclopedia, Wikipedia, and the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), to promote and celebrate the use of South African languages. Known in short as SWiP (for SADiLaR-Wikipedia-PanSALB), the project seeks to encourage South Africa’s broad…

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