Linguapax
Google includes Cherokee option
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
A traditional Native American language recently met the technological cutting edge when the search engine Google allowed users to read, write and access information in Cherokee.
Google users can now select Cherokee from the website's language tools page to translate all text accessed through the website into the Cherokee language.
"I think it will give positive impact, especially for the younger members of the Cherokee nation who are more comfortable with using computers and more familiar using that kind of equipment," said OU history professor Fay Yarbrough. "In order for the language to continue to exist, there has to be many different ways for people to access the language as often as possible."
Access to the Cherokee language through Google is important for Oklahoma because of the numerous members of the Cherokee nation who reside in the state and support their culture and history, Yarbrough said.
"The Cherokee members living in Oklahoma can bring attention to some of the unique and interesting components of the state and their history," Yarbrough said.
Charles Foster said he has been teaching Cherokee for nine years at OU and is excited about Google supporting it because of the increased visibility it can lend to the Cherokee nation.
Spoken Cherokee has been around for millennia, but the written language has only been around for an estimated 200 years, Foster said. With the implementation of Cherokee by Google, Foster said he feels positively about the continued existence of the Cherokee language.
Mary Linn, associate professor of anthropology, said Google's support can help support a revival of the language.
"Also not just Cherokee nation, but other people can get interested in the native culture through the avenue of language, so I think it is really important and vital that Google is doing this," Linn said.
http://www.oudaily.com/news/2011/apr/05/google-includes-cherokee-option/