Google launches Endangered Languages Project
(CBS News) Google announced Thursday the launch of the Endangered Languages Project - an initiative backed by the newly formed Alliance for Linguistic Diversity.
The project website documents over 3,000 languages on the verge of extinction. Each language's profile page features background, videos, maps and documents.
"Technology can strengthen these efforts by helping people create high-quality recordings of their elders (often the last speakers of a language), connecting diaspora communities through social media and facilitating language learning," Clara Rivera Rodriguez and Jason Rissman, project managers, said in a blog post.
The content on the site are powered by Google applications and products, like YouTube, Picasa and Google Documents.
Users can also contribute documents to the project directly. Guidelines for submitting content are available on the website.
