Ethnolinguistics w/ Anna Luisa Daigneault

Jul 24

On the latest episode of AnthroPuzzled, we sit down with Anna Luisa Daigneault, a linguistic anthropologist, PhD researcher in ethnolinguistics, and lead digital curator at the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages. Anna shares how her work bridges anthropology, linguistics, and technology to document, preserve, and revitalize endangered languages before they disappear.

Anna explains what ethnolinguistics is and how language provides a unique window into culture, identity, history, and the ways people understand the world. She discusses why thousands of languages are currently at risk of disappearing, what is lost when a language dies, and the importance of partnering with Indigenous communities to ensure language preservation efforts are community-led and culturally respectful. She also shares how the Living Dictionaries platform gives speakers and researchers the tools to build digital dictionaries containing audio, images, cultural notes, and other resources that help keep languages accessible for future generations.

The conversation also explores multilingualism, fieldwork, the challenges of documenting underrepresented languages, and the opportunities and ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence in language preservation.

Listen now to explore ethnolinguistics, endangered language revitalization, digital preservation, and why protecting linguistic diversity means protecting humanity's shared cultural heritage.