Sounds and writing systems of Aboriginal languages

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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Sounds and writing systems of Aboriginal languages

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

As someone who has been steeped in the sounds and writing systems of the English language and with an interest in the sounds and writing systems of other languages, I have found this information about Aboriginal languages very interesting and worth sharing (thanks to Cori Williams who posted this link via the DDOLL network:

http://ab-ed.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/ ... languages/
The sounds and writing systems of Aboriginal languages

Aboriginal languages in NSW are at various stages in the process of language revival. Successful Aboriginal language programs are based on sound linguistic analysis of the early records, historical documents and recordings, and all surviving community-held knowledge. This analysis is carried out by linguists and community members who are specialist Aboriginal language researchers.

Throughout the Aboriginal Languages pages of the Board of Studies website, you will find examples and experiences of linguists working with communities and schools to support and develop programs for students. Linguistics can help in the revival of Aboriginal languages in a number of ways. It gives insights into the sound system and grammatical features of any given language, the common features of languages across NSW and relationships between languages. Linguistic research can also advise community members of what is possible and what is not possible in the reconstruction process of the language. With sound advice and consultation, community groups are then able to make informed decisions about the development of their languages. Three topics that schools and communities have consistently requested information about are:

The sounds of Aboriginal languages
The spelling systems of Aboriginal languages
Stress patterns in pronouncing Aboriginal languages.
The sounds of Aboriginal languages
The starting point for anybody learning a language is to figure out the sounds of that language. The following list of sounds is not a complete list of all the sounds possible in NSW Aboriginal languages but are those most commonly found in NSW Aboriginal languages.
I would really like to add to my free Alphabetic Code Charts for other languages, so please do contact me 'direct' if you have, or can, compile an alphabetic code chart for languages other than English so that I might add them to this site:

http://alphabeticcodecharts.com/free_charts.html

My personal view is that understanding about the writing systems of different languages, teacher-training, and programmes to support teaching and learning, should begin with a tangible 'chart' of some description of the sounds and spelling system.
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