Visible results of the Lingua project

A three-year cross-border project called Lingua has concluded its activities, aiming to strengthen linguistic and cultural ties between Slovenia and Austria's Carinthia region. The initiative focused on early childhood education, raising awareness about linguistic diversity, the importance of multilingualism, and cultural heritage. It also included the development of a digital tool designed to recognize the Ziljs dialect, which is on the brink of disappearing. The collaboration among partners such as Mohorjeva Society from Celje, Gorenjski Glas, and the People’s University of Škofja Loka was supported by funds from the European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg Slovenia-Austria 2021–2027 program and the Carinthian region. Karl Hren, director of Mohorjeva Society, who served as the leading project partner, stated during the final press conference that while the project was demanding, the excellent cooperation among all participants enabled them to achieve their set goals and produce significant results. One of the most notable outcomes was the pilot action aimed at preserving the Ziljs dialect using modern technology. A digital tool for recognizing the dialect is expected to be completed by the end of August. This effort involves collaboration with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Information Technology at the University of Maribor. Uši Sereing from the Slovenian National Institute for Language and Culture emphasized that the Ziljs dialect is the first Slovenian dialect for which experts from the Maribor faculty will develop an automatic speech recognition system. Previously, such systems were developed mainly based on written text for standard Slovenian and conversational language. However, for the Ziljs dialect, the basis was spontaneous speech, making the task more complex. To support this endeavor, Uši Sereing and Tatjana Koren-Zwitter transcribed 100 hours of recordings of Ziljs speech. Initially, these materials were obtained from archives, but new recordings were made later to ensure greater diversity in spoken material despite the decreasing number of speakers. The activities carried out by Mohorjeva Society, Gorenjski Glas, and the People’s University of Škofja Loka covered several areas. These included early childhood education, raising awareness about linguistic diversity, the significance of multilingualism, and cultural heritage. Additionally, they worked on developing the digital tool for recognizing the Ziljs dialect. Under the umbrella of Gorenjski Glas, 231 articles on dialects were created and published in the magazine's editions and supplements. Twenty video recordings were also produced. All these contents have been compiled on the website of Gorenjski Glas within a section dedicated to the Lingua project. This section serves as a knowledge base, publicly accessible and intended to provide valuable information for professionals, educational institutions, and anyone interested in linguistic diversity, dialects, and cultural heritage in the cross-border area. Marija Volčjak, former editor-in-chief and responsible editor of Gorenjski Glas, noted that initially there was some skepticism regarding the treatment of dialects. However, she added that the experience showed there is still a vast amount of dialectal material available. She suggested that further development, especially in digital form, would be meaningful because it allows listeners to hear dialectal speech directly. This approach could enhance accessibility and engagement with local linguistic traditions. The project also explored experiences related to bilingual early childhood education. Collaboration in this field encompassed the implementation of various initiatives and programs aimed at promoting multilingual environments for young children. These efforts sought to integrate both Slovenian and Austrian Carinthian languages into educational practices, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of linguistic diversity among the younger generation. The project partners worked together to create practical examples and share best practices, contributing to a broader network of cross-border educational cooperation.