UK Libraries has partnered with Hispanic Studies Professor Haralambos Symeonidis to digitize the Atlas Lingüístico Guaraní-Románico (ALGR), a linguistic atlas that maps the language contact between Spanish, Portuguese, and Guaraní, an indigenous language used in Paraguay, Northeast Argentina, and Brazil.
The ALGR sets out to record the “pluridimensional geolinguistics” of this complex area, documenting variations of each language across space and through differences in speakers’ age, gender, and socioeconomic class. The atlas also maps the unique linguistic features that have developed across the three languages due to their coexistence since colonization, especially in areas where Guaraní speakers are bilingual, with Spanish or Portuguese as their second language.
All UK students, faculty, and staff are invited to join in celebrating the Showcase & Launch of the Atlas Lingüístico Guaraní-Románico Digital Project from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7 in the Cornerstone Theater.
Sponsored by UK Libraries, the College of Arts & Sciences, the Department of Linguistics, and the Department of Hispanic Studies, the event is free and open to the public, and food and drinks will be provided.
The ALGR currently contains two volumes, one that documents the names of body parts, and the other that documents words related to kinship. Users can find detailed maps that represent language variations and other linguistic features for a wide variety of phrases, from humorous names for the nose to words meaning mother-in-law.
UK Libraries has been instrumental in the digitization of the ALGR, providing technical expertise and leading the development of the web-based product. Several years ago, Dr. Symeonidis approached Modern & Classical Languages Librarian Taylor Leigh to initiate a partnership between his research team and the Libraries. The digitization project has been led by Leigh, Coordinator of Digital Scholarship Jennifer Hootman, and Director of Digital Strategies & Technology Sarah Dorpinghaus. The work of UK Libraries will allow the atlas to be accessed by anyone around the world.
First conceived in 1993, the ALGR is an international project involving the University of Münster, the University of Kiel, the Universidad Evangélica de Paraguay, and the Ministry of Education of Paraguay. The University of Kentucky was added to the group of collaborating institutions in 2007 when Dr. Symeonidis, co-director of the project, joined the Department of Hispanic Studies at UK.
The ALGR has already had a significant impact on the Guaranitic area. Research findings have led to the declaration of Guaraní as a co-official language of the province of Corrientes, Argentina, and the atlas has been used by the Ministry of Education in Paraguay to develop a bilingual educational system.
