Creative Multilingualism at the University of Pittsburgh
People from around the globe gathered at the University of Pittsburgh on the weekend including and following September 5th to attend a symposium made up of a one-day workshop: Artificial Intelligence in the World of Languages and a three-day conference: Intersections of Language and Nature: Conservation, Documentation, and Access.
Experts who’ve gathered knowledge through academia and otherwise presented on topics such as AI simultaneous interpretation, language revitalization, computer-aided learning, bird-name taxonomy, and indigenous activism. Their presentations and panel discussions provided a thought-provoking mix of topics related to language relations and how to address them now and into the future. Posters and private conversations allowed for important brainstorming and networking opportunities that will be considered here as the icing on the metaphorical symposium cookie.
Expert presenters included successful activists, corporate researchers, entrepreneurs, academic professionals and many who fit into more than one of the listed titles. With time we realized that a large percentage of attendees who did not present were also expert authors, teachers, bird-watchers and computer programmers. Thursday the 5th began with the logical reassurance that technology does not threaten the fields of language teaching and language services (interpretation and translation), because artificial intelligence is limited in its abilities to apply emotion to communication as humans do. This notion was challenged by attendees who considered AI capable of emotional communication. Facial recognition was presented as an example of how AI is able to observe and study emotions and communication simultaneously.
Research representatives from Duolingo and Google Translate (which is currently working on simultaneous interpretation) gave examples of how they thought independently to achieve creative goals. Duolingo decided to focus on audience feedback rather than rely on the latest breakthroughs in cognitive research. The most successful versions of Duolingo’s language-learning application apply “outdated” memorization strategies that nevertheless keep users motivated and satisfied with their language learning experiences. Google Translate’s representative explained that linguists’ grammar and structures were not considered during simultaneous interpretation generated by AI. Instead, programmers give an input and output while trusting the computer to have enough data to determine its own strategy toward accurate simultaneous interpretation. This left a bittersweet taste in our mouths as we were simultaneously excited for the creative possibilities and yet again afraid that technology might ruin the career outlook for people within the fields of language teaching, translation and interpretation.
At the end of the day, a panel focused on career opportunities for current and aspiring language professionals. In general, everyone was encouraged to be interdisciplinary and creative when looking for work within the fields of linguistics and language services. While positions in the field of AI are hard to get for language professionals without a degree in computer science, it is possible. And there are many niches available to those who build up other skills and market themselves accordingly to organizations that could benefit from such very unique skill sets.
Some attendants exemplified what’s possible when any language enthusiasts pursue their interest and apply their skills. One presenter and cofounder of a language-driven non-profit studied design and history. This specific organization, Wikitongues, strives to record every language in the world. That’s a goal of about 6,500 recorded languages in total. This includes languages that are often excluded from databases such as sign languages and strictly oral languages. The recording of indigenous languages can contribute to the success of indigenous language revitalization, repatriation of cultural items and recognition of many indigenous cultures’ crucial interpersonal and environmental knowledge.
2019 is the first International Year of the Indigenous Language. The next international year of the indigenous language is scheduled for 2030, but there was a request during the morning of September 6th to plan for an entire decade of the indigenous language in order to have the time and perseverance necessary to end current trends of language loss and foster increased indigenous language learning, conservation, documentation, appreciation and application. The Intersections of Language and Nature conference included many attendees who were leading conservation and revitalization efforts in their own communities or as allies for other indigenous communities.
The bilingual nature of the conference (English-Spanish) allowed for more perspectives concerning the best practices and most prevalent obstacles during their efforts. Experts on the topic explained the programs they started and meetings they attended to revive the use of their ancestors’ language and culture. For example, one community ensured their indigenous language was the only common language during lessons to ensure students communicated using the languages they came together to study. Some communities were refused collaboration with local universities unless they agreed to have classes at the university and not on their contextually rich land. Another community debated for years before coming to a consensus about which writing system to use when documenting their oral language. Many indigenous languages are now being used to chat on social media. Perhaps it won’t just be a year or a decade but an international future of the indigenous language.
Birdwatchers and bird-name taxonomists collect different bird names from every language they can. The varying names of birds provide nuance about birds’ migration paths and details about their diverse environmental contributions. When participating in and advocating for the revitalization of indigenous languages, it’s worthwhile to consider the successes and failures of bird-name taxonomy. During data collection, meaning can be lost if there is an expectation that all languages should conform to naming a specific list of predetermined birds. Overlap should be recorded when present but not forced. Different languages should be given the freedom to have different criteria for how birds are named. English-speaking birdwatchers tend to give names based on physical features and occasionally base name on actions, but other cultures and languages tend to differentiate all birds based on the actions. Languages must be handled with an open mind and gentle touch. The same influences that have led to violent demolition of homes, habitats and entire populations can infiltrate our good intentions to include indigenous perspectives while perpetuating their destruction. Let’s learn from each other’s lessons and listen to each other’s pleas to ensure exclusion, exploitation and destruction do not remain the way the cookie crumbles.
Ashley Rubi Corrales attended the University of Virginia where she earned a BA in Linguistics and Anthropology. She teaches English to Speakers of Other Languages professionally and explores languages and cultures through any creative means necessary.
Where next?
Uncovering hidden language stories
Mapping Jane Eyres across the world
Performing Languages: on multilingualism and language hierarchies