Stories about Yoruba
Digital activist discusses why native Yoruba speakers should embrace their Indigenous language in online spaces
Many people are beginning to forget all the rich cultural and historical aspects of Yoruba. If the language is to thrive, its culture and identity must be visible.
This chief hopes Yorùbá speakers adopt his newly invented ‘talking alphabet’
Writing Yorùbá in Latin script may soon become a thing of the past as one Yorùbá man, Chief Tolúlàṣẹ Ògúntósìn, has invented a writing system to encode the Yorùbá language.
Lost in translation: Why Google Translate often gets Yorùbá — and other languages — wrong
As more tech companies attempt to provide translation and access to multiple languages online, controversies and challenges arise — especially when it comes to accuracy and cultural nuance.
Nigeria's Operation Àmò̩té̩kùn: Was it named after a leopard, cheetah or tiger?
Linguists who study Yorùbá have long taken issue with ascribing meaning of the word àmò̩té̩kùn interchangeably with the leopard, cheetah and tiger.
Yorùbá loanwords: How languages evolve
Using Yorùbá words in their original forms helps ensure that culture — kept alive through language — continues to thrive.
‘Big tech companies won’t solve the problem for us. We can do it ourselves.’
My 92 year old grandfather, like Nigerians of his generation, can read and write in Yorùbá. But since they are not 'literate' in English, they are digitally excluded.
Introducing DigiGlot, a newsletter about languages and tech
This is the first publication of DigiGlot,a biweekly collaborative newsletter examining how indigenous, minority, and endangered language communities are adopting and adapting technology for their own needs.
A Royal Misdemeanour Makes for a Heated Discussion in Nigeria
"I even love the Ooni of Ife more after the snub meted out to him by the uppity head of a tiny chiefdom. Oba Akiolu of Lagos played himself."
Inspired by a Pioneering Nigerian Author, Yorùbá Language Advocate Takes to the Internet
"...I knew I had to propagate the Yorùbá heritage to the world and the cheapest and easiest way to do that is via the international network of computers."
Nigerian ‘Cultural Evangelist’ Promotes African Languages with Apps and Digital Storytelling
"Technology offers the best form of creative approach to preserving native languages. It aids the process of documentation, collaboration between language experts, offers a wide array of distribution medium etc."
A Specially Designed Keyboard Allows Yorùbá and Igbo Speakers to Type Their Languages
"With this keyboard, we are addressing technical barriers to the use of Yorùbá and Igbo online."
