Simioenlaurbo:Cool. I like Lernu's layout and wish something like it existed for learning an Australian Aboriginal language (like Arrernte, Pitjantjatjara, Warlpiri, etc.).

Hope this endeavour is succesful.

Hehe, no offence mate but you'll be waiting a long time. You normally need community approval for something like that, and, well, by the end of the day the amount of loops you'll have to jump through will just tire you out

(I say this as a fellow interested individual person in Aboriginal Australian languages, but trust me when I say that the the AU govt in attempts to be overly politically correct and not wanting to offend anyone have basically made it institutionally very hard to do anything regarding aboriginal culture, and has basically segregated them from normal "Australian" society, putting them on a high-chair styled like a throne and treating them the exact same way they did in the 1800's minus the overt racism and ironically minus the cultural exchanges).

EDIT: E@I, if you guys are looking for a next project, I would still love you to bits if you managed to break through the aussie bureaucracy and helped out with this aboriginal language issue

A local partner is needed for doing those kind of indigenous language programs, both a partner for dealing with the Australian government and also for dealing with the community speaking the language.

I don't know how much there is in the way of government funding for stuff like that. Rosetta Stone has a program where it partners with communities to develop versions of the software for endangered indigenous languages, but I assume that's funded by Rosetta Stone itself, since it's presumably a profitable corporation (unlike us).

No worries, C. We’ve talked about this before (albeit ages ago), so I know where you stand. You’re still a hater though.

Yeah, I’m aware that the Australian government seems to be opposed to bilingual education, but it’s hard for me to understand from the outside. Can you explain it to me? Or recommend something to read on the subject?

Anyway, I’m hopeful because there are some positive signs. Apparently, Arrernte is offered as a subject at Centralian College in Alice:

http://www.alicespringslanguagecentre.com/senior_c...

And there's Warlpiri media online here:

http://www.pawmedia.com.au/

Then there’s this site for learning Pitjantjatjara:

http://ninti.ngapartji.org/

I know. “Why don’t you just use that site then, Simio?” I have and even after having worked through the lessons, I don’t feel like I can really say anything. Granted, I don’t expect to learn Pitjantjatjara or Arrernte as fast as Esperanto...but the site could use more “Lernu” in it. A grammar reference. More advanced lessons. And the thing that I liked the best about Lernu when starting out with Esperanto was that you get paired with a teacher/mentor when you start doing Ana Pana lessons, which is good because a) you have someone to directly pose questions to and b) you start from the get-go actively using the language on someone else. Interaction in language-learning is so powerful, at least in my experience.

Anyway, so while I think something is possible to keep all Aussie langs from going extinct, I also think time is of the essence. If there isn’t a push in the coming years to help turn things around for Arrernte-, Warlpiri-, Pitjantjatjara-, etc. speaking communities, I personally don’t see them being around in fifty years.

Maybe ASEDA (http://aseda.aiatsis.gov.au/asedaDisclaimer.php ) would know about any funding? Should I contact them?

Simioenlaurbo:No worries, C. We’ve talked about this before (albeit ages ago), so I know where you stand. You’re still a hater though.

Hehe, yeah I think I remember that, can't remember if a conclusion was ever reached though!

Yeah, I’m aware that the Australian government seems to be opposed to bilingual education, but it’s hard for me to understand from the outside. Can you explain it to me? Or recommend something to read on the subject?

Simplest explanation: The government has a divided focus, schools are allowed to choose whatever languages they like and often mix them up at different year levels, parent's don't want kids to learn "useless subjects", kids change schools and end up learning different languages, end of the day no one's particularly fluent in anything.

Anyway, I’m hopeful because there are some positive signs. Apparently, Arrernte is offered as a subject at Centralian College in Alice:

(Links omitted for brevity

pawmedia's site looked very promising, I can tell you it's rare to see things like that in Australia! Pitjantjatjara I know is probably one of the most well known Aboriginal languages around these parts, even more than the local Kaurna ironically.

I know. “Why don’t you just use that site then, Simio?” I have and even after having worked through the lessons, I don’t feel like I can really say anything. Granted, I don’t expect to learn Pitjantjatjara or Arrernte as fast as Esperanto...but the site could use more “Lernu” in it. A grammar reference. More advanced lessons. And the thing that I liked the best about Lernu when starting out with Esperanto was that you get paired with a teacher/mentor when you start doing Ana Pana lessons, which is good because a) you have someone to directly pose questions to and b) you start from the get-go actively using the language on someone else. Interaction in language-learning is so powerful, at least in my experience.

I completely agree although the lack of speakers makes Ana Pana sort of impossible to replicate, but regardless there's not real linguistically minded course for these sorts of things, only "we'll teach you a couple of words so you can say you know the entire language". Or the in-person courses which of course require money and/or being in the right area

I personally don’t see them being around in fifty years.

I can imagine them still existing, but more due to lack of assimilation with the rest of the populace and increased isolation, which aren't necessarily good though (be careful mentioning "assimilation" with people of aboriginal descent or connections - it brings up uglier facets of Australia's past involving the "lost generations" and forced one-way assimilation etc.)

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Anyway, thanks Erinja for that info - it seems much more daunting to make a lernu! equivalent for regional languages than for European languages or sign languages

Strange world we live in where conlangs are sometimes more popular than the languages people are historically tied to!