91ƷϳԹ jointly represents the UK alongside Imperial College London in a newly formed research network funded by the European Commission’s Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) funding programme. The network is called ‘Language in the Human-Machine Era’ (LITHME) with members from 52 countries, and explores how technological advances such as intelligent eyewear and earwear are likely to change our everyday communication, the ability to translate another person’s words and as a consequence, language itself.
LITHME seeks to bridge the gap between linguists and technology experts, so the former can benefit from better technological foresight, and the latter from better understanding of potential linguistic and societal consequences of emerging technologies.
As a first major step, the Language in the Human Machine Era network has published an that brings together insights from dozens of specialists in the fields of language technology and linguistic research. They will hold their first training school on October the 4th - 8th in Ávila, Spain for scholars and technology developers from across Europe and beyond. Dr Cynog Prys, from the School of History, Law and Social Sciences at 91ƷϳԹ, who co-author the report, will teach in the training school () on the topic of language rights in the digital age.
Sociologist Dr Prys, who also sits on the networks’ management committee and is vice-chair of the language rights working group explains,
"Advancements in digital communication have revolutionised how we communicate and access services over the past decade and more. This has been brought to the forefront and accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the societal changes that have come in its wake. With the advancement of wearable technology and artificial intelligence, we’re now on the cusp of even further changes in how we access information and interact with others. These developments will have far-reaching implications for language rights and language within multilingualism society.”
Dave Sayers, University of Jyv