WKC to launch Konkani language laboratory soon

WKC to launch Konkani language laboratory soon

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Nov 21, 2012: The World Konkani Centre (WKC) at Shaktinagar is planning to launch a Konkani language laboratory using digital lab software.

WKC in collaboration with the Konkani Language and Cultural Foundation has taken up the project under Vision TVM proposed by Manipal Global Foundation Chairman Mohandas Pai. The Orell Digital Language Lab (ODLL), a professionally engineered, user friendly, and comprehensive language learning software was developed by Orell Technosystems India Pvt. Ltd. based in Kochi.

The software was demonstrated in a laboratory with 30 computers on Tuesday in the presence of people from different Konkani-speaking communities, specially invited for the purpose.

According to Gurudutt Bantwalkar, assistant director of World Institute of Konkani Langauge, the software is widely considered to be an effective language learning solution for scholars as well as tutors. He said that the WKC now has to leverage the strengths of the software and customize it to suit Konkani language learning modules.

The WKC will organize a workshop for Konkani language experts so that they can create learning modules within the next two to three weeks. The experts will also have to come up with ways to create corpora for various Konkani dialects and scripts. Mr. Bantwalkar said that the experts will start creating corpora for two major dialects—Catholic Konkani and Gowda Saraswath Brahmin.

Aneesh K. Murali, area manager for Orell, said that ODLL serves as a platform for teaching English language, adding that professionally recorded video and text files can be incorporated to build up teaching modules for any language. Besides, users can customize the software to meet their requirements.

The WKC, which has plans to launch the lab for community purposes, will soon conduct training sessions for those interested to become trainees.