TED: The giant leaps in language technology -- and who's left behind | Kalika Bali

The video discusses the challenges and advancements in language technology, focusing on natural language processing (NLP) and speech technology. It highlights the disparity in resources available for different languages, emphasizing the need for more inclusive technology. The speaker shares examples of projects like Project Elora, which aims to support under-resourced languages like Gondi, and initiatives to provide digital microtasks to underserved communities. The importance of community involvement and the need for a holistic approach, including social and cultural considerations, are also discussed.

What is the primary goal of natural language processing (NLP) as discussed in the introduction?

• To develop new programming languages

• To replace human translators

• To create new languages for machines

• To make machines understand and generate human language

What is essential for NLP systems to function effectively?

• Advanced hardware

• Human translators

• A large amount of natural language data

• A small amount of data

Which languages have the most resources available according to the power law distribution?

• French, German, Italian, and Russian

• Arabic, Chinese, English, and Spanish

• Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu

• Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai

What is the main challenge faced by resource-poor languages in the digital age?

• Too many dialects

• Overabundance of resources

• Lack of interest from speakers

• Limited technological resources and support

What was a significant achievement of Project Elora for the Gondi language?

• Creating a new alphabet for Gondi

• Teaching Gondi in schools worldwide

• Publishing 200 children's books in Gondi

• Developing a new dialect of Gondi

How does Project Elora aim to bridge the digital divide for languages like Gondi?

• By focusing only on English

• By eliminating all other languages

• By developing technology with minimal resources

• By creating new languages

What is the role of the community in language technology projects as highlighted in the case study?

• To develop new software independently

• To participate in data collection and resource creation

• To provide financial support

• To translate all content into English

What is a key takeaway from the community involvement in the Omli village project?

• The superiority of urban communities

• The need for more government intervention

• The value of community pride and storytelling

• The importance of technology over community

What methodology is suggested for delivering positive social impact in language technology?

• The 5S strategy

• The 3P process

• The 6C approach

• The 4D design thinking methodology

What lesson can be learned from the story of the two Aborigine Australian women?

• Persistence and community involvement can revive languages

• Technology is the only solution

• Languages cannot be revived once lost

• Only large communities can preserve languages