NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region

Tags: social sciences, language, Tlîchô, culture

Objective(s): Revise a print dictionary and expanded on-line dictionary of the Tlîchô language. Other goals are language and research training, both at the university and in the community.

Project Description: Currently available are print dictionaries of the Tlîchô language (1995, 1996) and an on-line multimedia dictionary (http://tlicho.ling.uvic.ca/), all supported by the Tlîchô Community Services Agency, the long-time community research partner. Much work remains to be done to make the on-line dictionary truly "multimedia" through expansion of the database and the addition of more sound and video information. Because of the convenience of print dictionaries, an updated version of the print dictionary is also a priority. Therefore, a revised print dictionary and expanded on-line dictionary are the products sought in the present research, which will extend for a number of years. Other goals are language and research training, both at the university and in the community. The researcher has an additional objective: that the dictionary research will coordinate with the Tlîchô elders' audio database and archive under development and the work of the Tlîchô Community Action Research Team on community well-being. The research involves a variety of procedures and methods. The products of the research ideally will include words from every domain of life and from every sector of the population, and as many methods as possible will be used, including those listed below: • Interviewing individuals (potentially including photography, audio or video recording) -- Individuals with particular expertise or domains of knowledge, and confirming and checking information • Interviewing groups of participants (potentially including photography, audio or video recording) -- research specific domains of knowledge, and confirming and checking information • Web-based collection of information -- There is an option in the website of the Tlîchô dictionary for any member of the general public to suggest words for the dictionary database. (These words are then vetted by dictionary editors.) The site is here: http://tlicho.ling.uvic.ca/users/suggestions.aspx • Analysis of published and non-published stories, including the resources of the Tlîchô elders' audio database and archive • Use of the knowledge and observations of individual researchers The topic is Tlîchô language and culture, and so there are many obvious social, cultural, and educational benefits from the research project and from the results of the research: the dictionary website and publication, and the research skills and knowledge that will flow from this work. The project will also contribute to community well-being through increased cultural pride and its demonstrated strength in the language. The Tlîchô Community Services Agency (TCSA) and Tlîchô Government are very supportive of this work and the TCSA is providing funding, with further funding being sought from the Tlîchô Government, mining companies, and SSHRC. There is a plan for a number of people to work on this project, including workers of the TCSA, the Tlîchô Government, and other community members. This project was begun through community initiative and is a community-based research project. The dictionary will be available globally on the internet and it will be published in a book. The dictionary website in its current state is available at: http://tlicho.ling.uvic.ca. A summary of the results will be provided for the Aurora Research Institute website and a copy of the dictionary will be sent to them. As with the present dictionaries, the dictionary will be available free of charge to members of the Tlîchô communities and it will be used in homes, schools, and offices in the communities. Some of the people who work on the dictionary might do interviews or presentations on the radio or television, at schools, colleges, universities, conferences, or other public events about the research project because it is important and interesting work, educational, and the dictionary is important. College or university students or researchers might use the research in their studies and write about the research in their papers, articles, theses, dissertations, or books. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from September 9, 2009 to December 31, 2009 throughout Tli’Cho communities of the Northwest Territories.