Innovative Methods in Endangered Language Documentation
A special issue of Languages (ISSN 2226-471X).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 March 2026 | Viewed by 128
Special Issue Editors
Interests: environmental linguistics; language documentation; language revitalization
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We invite submissions for a forthcoming Special Issue of Languages on “Innovative Methods in Endangered Language Documentation”. As languages around the world face unprecedented threats of decline and loss, researchers are developing new methodologies, technologies, and collaborative frameworks to record, analyze, and sustain linguistic diversity. This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge work that expands the scope, quality, and impact of language documentation that will be of interest and use to the community of scholars working on this topic. We welcome papers that draw upon all subfields of linguistics and that illuminate connections between languages and the natural and social environments in which they are spoken. Recognizing that even languages with larger populations face pressures of globalization, we also consider papers on minoritized, “low-resource”, or under-documented languages and how they may be supported through innovative technologies. Indigenous and community-based linguists are particularly encouraged to submit papers.
Scope and Themes
We welcome the submission of contributions that focus on (but are not limited to) the following topics:
- Technological innovations: The use of AI, natural language processing, mobile applications, VR/AR, metaverse, and low-cost recording tools for field linguistics.
- Collaborative and community-driven methods: Participatory research with Indigenous/minority communities, training programs for community linguists, co-creation of digital archives, corpora, and e-dictionaries.
- Multimodal documentation: Integrating video, ethnographic observations, gestures, music, and environmental knowledge alongside linguistic data.
- New frameworks for archiving and accessibility: Sustainable data curation, FAIR principles, ethical sharing, decolonizing archives, and repatriating data.
- Interdisciplinary approaches: Building bridges between documentary linguistics and anthropology, botany, cognitive science, digital humanities, environmental studies, and sign language studies.
- Pedagogical and revitalization tools: Innovations that connect documentation with intergenerational transmission, teaching, and curriculum design.
We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the guest editors (david.h@vinuni.edu.vn, lisa.ls.lim@gmail.com) and the Languages editorial office (languages@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for the purpose of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.
Prof. Dr. K. David Harrison
Dr. Lisa Lim
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Languages is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- documentary linguistics
- language diversity
- digital lexicography
- language revitalization
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