Funding Secured for Manx Language Online Database Expansion

A project has received new funding, which will enable a “significant volume” of Manx language audio recordings to be transcribed, translated, and made available online. The grant from Culture Vannin to the Manx Language Research Group will finance the first contracted language specialist dedicated to working on the Manx Corpus website. This online repository, which currently holds more than two million words along with hundreds of texts and recordings, was previously maintained solely by volunteers. Chris Williamson, the vice chairman, stated that the £3,000 grant is expected to “benefit speakers, students, teachers, and researchers of Manx.” He added that the forthcoming timestamped transcriptions will enable website users to search for specific words or phrases in either Manx or English and immediately listen to a native speaker using them within their original context. Culture Vannin commented that ongoing additions to this resource will “ensure that this rich repository continues to grow and evolve, reflecting the dynamic nature of the Manx language.” Mr. Williamson further noted that the capacity to search the compiled transcriptions in English would offer advantages not limited to Manx speakers. He explained that the translations would “make this important archival material open to the wider public in and beyond the island, who may be interested in the language from the point of view of social history, folklore, and family history.” “Even a small grant can make a significant difference when combined with the expertise and commitment of groups like the Manx Language Research Group,” Mr. Williamson concluded. This year, an interview with Ned Maddrell, the last native speaker, recalling life in the village of Cregneash, was among the initial audio recordings incorporated into the Manx Corpus by this project.