Motorola Expands Indigenous Languages Support With Addition of Ladin
Motorola, in collaboration with the Lenovo Foundation, has expanded its Indigenous Languages Support Initiative by adding Ladin, a minority language spoken in Italy’s Dolomites region, to its smartphones. This initiative, aimed at raising awareness and empowering Indigenous communities, addresses the urgent need to preserve endangered languages, as UNESCO reports one Indigenous language disappears every two weeks. Ladin, with only 30,000 speakers, now joins over 90 other languages supported by Motorola's devices. This initiative also includes open-sourcing over 1 million translated Indigenous words and publishing the 'Hello Indigenous' whitepaper to encourage others to participate in language preservation.
- Motorola expanded language support to include Ladin, aiding cultural preservation.
- Initiative includes over 1 million open-sourced translated Indigenous words, promoting broader usage.
- Collaboration with Lenovo Foundation and UNESCO adds credibility and global recognition.
- Motorola has supported over 90 languages, showing commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- The initiative aligns with global efforts to prevent the loss of Indigenous languages.
- No immediate financial gains or direct business benefits mentioned.
- Support for endangered languages may not directly influence short-term stock performance.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimates that one Indigenous language disappears every two weeks, resulting in the potential loss of around 3,000 unique languages by the end of the century. That’s why over the past three years, Motorola has been at the forefront of this mission, championing the revitalization of endangered languages across the globe.
With a focus on
"We've learned over the past few years that it is imperative that we work closely with the community of speakers and scholars that are passionate and committed to saving and promoting the language,” said Janine Oliveira, Executive Director of Software Globalization, Motorola. “This rang true for the Ladin community and made the decision to digitize the language in our devices easy."
Motorola worked alongside the Lenovo Foundation, and several translators and reviewers from the Ladin Institute, Micurá de Rü, led by Professor Paul Videsott, Professor for Romance Philology at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (UNIBZ). “This will definitely help Ladin and other minority languages to be more visible,” said Professor Videsott. “Smartphones are like the pencil of the 21st century, and having minority languages, including Ladin, in the motorola edge 50 series, has the same importance of having a language in a book.”
At Motorola, we know indigenous populations are interacting with mobile technology and are one of many diverse groups that make up our valued consumer base. It’s why we started the project, as we aim to preserve human heritage and the unique histories of Indigenous cultures while empowering future generations. But we also believe we have a responsibility to inspire others to do the same. Through June 2024, Motorola has open-sourced over 1 million translated indigenous words, allowing other companies to promote these languages through their interfaces, furthering revitalization efforts worldwide. Today, we’re also excited to share the latest version of our Hello Indigenous whitepaper written in partnership with Lenovo Foundation and UNESCO, serving as a blueprint for others to follow in their footsteps.
Ladin is the latest of several endangered languages that Motorola has added to its smartphone interface, including Kuvi and Kangri (spoken in regions of
Legal Disclaimers
Certain features, functionality and product specifications may be network dependent and subject to additional terms, conditions, and charges. All are subject to change without notice. MOTOROLA, the Stylized M Logo, MOTO and the MOTO family of marks are trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. ©2024 Motorola Mobility LLC. All rights reserved.
About Motorola & Lenovo
Lenovo is a
About Lenovo Foundation
Lenovo Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic arm of Lenovo, a
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240606632567/en/
Cassandra Marrero: marreroc@motorola.com
Source: Lenovo
FAQ
What new language has Motorola added to its smartphones?
Why is the addition of Ladin to Motorola's smartphones significant?
How many languages does Motorola support in its smartphones?
Who collaborated with Motorola on the Indigenous Languages Support Initiative?
What is the purpose of Motorola's Indigenous Languages Support Initiative?
How has Motorola contributed to the revitalization of Indigenous languages?
