Intelligent Plains Cree dictionary for word formation project

In Cree languages, forming an action word (verb) is no simple task. You need to know who does the action, who or what the action is being done to, whether either participant has a soul or not, when the action happened, and whether someone knows the action will or might happen.

With collaborators at the ALTLab, the NRC is developing a new interface for itwêwina, the intelligent Plains Cree dictionary that analyses and assists with Plains Cree word formation. It can deconstruct existing words to reveal each parameter that goes into forming the word, and build words based on parameters that users input. We are also extending these word formation and analysis technologies to spelling and grammar checkers and syllabics converters.

Collaborators

Objectives

  • Update the intelligent Plains Cree dictionary web application: new interface including word analyzer, grammar and spell-checkers and syllabics converter
  • Expand intelligent dictionaries to more Indigenous languages

Deliverables

Figure 1: New interface. Word search and display supports both standard roman orthography (left) and syllabics (right).

Project team

  • Eddie Antonio Santos, Application Development Specialist, NRC
  • Dr. Antti Arppe, Director, ALTLAB
  • ALTLab collaborators

Contact us

Dr. Antti Arppe, Director, ALTLab
University of Alberta
Email: altlab@ualberta.ca

Roland Kuhn, Project Leader,
Indigenous Languages Technology Project, NRC
EmailRoland.Kuhn@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

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