Very briefly, iGàidhlig aims to do the following:
- create software tools for Gaelic, usually in co-operation with other groups or projects
- translate existing software tools into Gaelic
- disseminate information about these resources and support people who want to use them
- push developers and manufacturers to solve technical issues affecting the use of Gaelic (and languages in a similar situation)
If you’re generally interesting in this topic or want to find out a bit about the history of iGàidhlig and the Faclair Beag, I did a write-up in 2014 in the form of a short paper I was going to present (but didn’t in the end, long story). But it was a useful exercise in organising my thoughts.
And it might well be of interest to other SMLs (small to medium languages) who are wondering about how to get into localization and Speech and Language Technology. One can probably get there by trial and error but if you think about it a bit and do a little planning, you can avoid some pitfalls and cut some corners. Which is usually a good thing as most SMLs are usually strapped for cash.
You can download the PDF here. I mention a different paper in it – you can find the relevant excerpt here.