Linguistics Professor Introducing Indigenous Language Via Mobile Apps

More than 20 years ago, Prof. Mary-Odile Junker created an online language website for people who wanted to learn and teach in East Cree, an Indigenous language spoken in Northern Quebec. It was just one part of a career dedicated to documenting and sharing Indigenous languages using technology.

This summer, her team is continuing that mission with the release of free mobile apps in the Innu dialects spoken in Quebec and Labrador, as well as East Cree and the Atikamek language of Northern Quebec.

“We were receiving requests from learners and speakers to create mobile apps they can use offline,” says Junker, noting that many of these native speakers live in remote areas.

A screenshot of how to say ‘hello’ in different Innu dialects.

“It’s very popular to compare the different dialects in Innu; speakers adore that. Other people are using it to improve their French or English.”

The Innu app includes 21 topics of conversation in nine distinct Innu dialects as well as French and English. Innu speakers live in both French and English-speaking regions.

The app is also promoting the standardized orthography, or writing system, that was agreed upon by the Innu communities.

“The Innus are a great example for coming up with a standardized orthography, because there are many dialectal differences,” Junker says.