What is the problem?
As digital modes of creating, sharing and accessing information become increasingly necessary for companies and individuals, the extent to which a language is (or is not) supported is of critical importance The opportunities afforded by digital technology differ drastically depending on the language being used, leading to a Digital Language Divide where thousands of languages struggle to thrive in an increasingly digitally-biased world. To address the language inequalities impacting millions of people, requires a comprehensive and granular understanding of which languages possess what digital strengths and weaknesses.
What is our solution?
To generate the insight needed to address the Digital Language Divide, we present a first-of-its kind global dataset and “beta” visualization tool. These are based upon Assessing Digital Language Support on a Global Scale (‘DLS’), where DLS metrics are calculated for 7,829 languages and summarized into 5 categories ranging from zero support (‘Still’) through to full support (‘Thriving’). In addition to being presented at the prestigious COLING 2022 academic conference (12th-17th Oct ‘22), our data and Digital Language Divide concept were featured in a Sunday Times printed supplement “AI for Business” (pp.7, Joining the Global Conversation) and via Raconteur magazine’s website (How tech can bridge the global digital language divide).
What are the Features and Benefits?
- The features and benefits of the DLS dataset:
- Unique global dataset based upon more than 140 data sources (2021)
- Summarized 5-point digital support category for 7,000+ living languages
- Granular language component scores for language-specific comparison
- ISO 639 encoded to enable simple integration and analysis with other datasets
- The features and benefits of the “beta” data visualization tool:
- Visual and dynamic presentation of the DLS dataset for superior analysis
- Access to global, regional and language-specific charts and tables
- Unique comparison tool enabling side-by-side analysis of multiple languages
- Powerful and flexible “beta” software with many user-defined options.
What are the product options?
There are 3 main access options, suitable for a wide range of potential customers:
| Features/Options | Academic | Academic Plus | Commercial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary Dataset | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Detailed Dataset | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Beta ‘Datavis’ Tool | No | Yes | Yes |
| Content Package | No | No | Yes |
| License Type | Academic | Academic | Commercial |
| License Cost | Free | Paid (Nominal) | Paid |
Academic:
To enable further research in and around the Digital Language Divide, the Academic option provides free access to the complete DLS datasets for non-commercial research purposes.
Academic Plus:
For academics that are interested in data visualization, we also offer an Academic Plus option at a nominal charge. This includes the datasets plus a “beta” visualization tool for deeper analysis
Commercial:
For those outside of academia, we also offer a Commercial option including all of the DLS data, a “beta” visualization tool, and educational content designed to optimize usage of the data / tool.
Public Domain:
For language advocacy, general education and open data purposes, we provide various free information resources. These include our Digital Language Divide guide page, a research paper on Assessing Digital Language Support on a Global Scale (‘DLS’), and a GitHub repository with associated data. Our recent press coverage is also available: Sunday Times “AI for Business” supplement (pp.7, Joining the Global Conversation) and Raconteur magazine’s website (How tech can bridge the global digital language divide).
