Lars Borin Knihy

Kanashi is a unique Sino-Tibetan language spoken exclusively in Malana, a village in Himachal Pradesh, India, surrounded by Indo-Aryan language speakers. This book addresses the scarcity of linguistic material on Kanashi and explores its intriguing prehistory, questioning how it became isolated from its closest relatives. It examines the potential genealogical links between Kanashi and Kinnauri, despite the significant geographical separation. The work seeks to shed light on the shared linguistic features that have remained underexplored in existing literature.

The present volume collects contributions addressing different aspects of the measurement of linguistic differences, a topic which probably is as old as language itself but at the same time has acquired renewed interest over the last decade or so, reflecting a rapid development of data-intensive computing in all fields of research, including linguistics.

This white paper is part of a series aimed at enhancing understanding of language technology and its potential, targeting educators, journalists, politicians, and language communities. The availability and application of language technology across Europe differ by language, necessitating tailored actions to support research and development. These actions are influenced by factors such as language complexity and community size. META-NET, a Network of Excellence funded by the European Commission, has analyzed current language resources and technologies, focusing on 23 official European languages and other significant national and regional languages. The findings indicate substantial research gaps for each language. A thorough expert analysis will optimize the impact of further research while minimizing risks. META-NET comprises 54 research centers across 33 countries, collaborating with stakeholders from various sectors, including commercial businesses, government agencies, and universities. Together, they are formulating a unified technology vision and a strategic research agenda to address identified research gaps in language technology applications by 2020.