ELAR Archive

ELDP is hosting its annual grantee training in language documentation and archiving from June 3 to June 10, 2026.

The training will take place at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin. Mandana Seyfeddinipur, Kelsey Neely, Pierpaolo di Carlo and Shuan Karim will train the new grantees in the theory, methods, and best practices of language documentation.

We’re looking forward to a week of learning, sharing, and connecting!

We are excited to announce the release of new ELAR “How to” video tutorials and updated “Frequently Asked Questions” to help you navigate ELAR.

The videos include instructions on how to register for an ELAR user account and log in, how to find collections and materials, and how to access files.

To access the videos and FAQs, visit:

🔗https://www.elararchive.org/how-to-use/

ELAR is excited to announce the release of Lameta 3.0.18, the latest version of our metadata creation tool.

The new version introduces

Multilingual metadata fields, making it easier to create and manage bilingual or multilingual metadata
A search functionality, allowing users to search across their metadata.

You can download Lameta via this link:

🔗https://sites.google.com/site/metadatatooldiscussion/home

If you have not used Lameta before, now is a great time to start. You can learn more through the tutorials and guides available on the ELAR website at:

🔗http://hdl.handle.net/2196/4dd4776a-7cb1-453b-8f2a-9880e40ced19

Explore the collection “Documentation and description of the linguistic repertoires, culture, and oral tradition of the Nsua of Semuliki Forest.” Together with Saudah Namyalo and Alena Witzlack-Makarevich, the Nsua created this collection featuring the languages Amba, Kusua and Suwa-Amba spoken in the community.

To learn more about the community, and access the collections, visit:

🔗 https://www.elararchive.org/dk0819

🔗 https://www.elararchive.org/dk0818

Today we celebrate African World Heritage Day by highlighting the Uneme blacksmiths of Nigeria. Together with Lateef Adeleke they created this collection featuring information about blacksmithing practices, identity, marriage systems, and traditions of the Unemes.

To learn more about the Uneme community, and access the collection, “Uneme Iron Technology”, visit:

🔗https://www.elararchive.org/dk0831

We are excited to announce the workshop “Language and the body. The Body as both Object and Tool of Linguistic Research” organised by ELDP grantees Pierpaolo di Carlo and Song-u Kimhosted at University of Naples “L’Orientale”. Mandana Seyfeddinipur (ELAR/ELDP/BBAW) will be presenting the talk, “...and what do you think language is?”

🗓Friday, 22.05.2026
🕕9:00 - 16:00
📍University of Naples “L’Orientale”- Antisala degli specchi.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Today we celebrate World Poetry Day by highlighting the performances of Balochi minstrel groups in Iran. Together with Maryam Nourzaei they created this collection featuring recordings of musical and poetic performances about legends, religion, love, and history.

To learn more about the collection,“Balochi minstrel performing art tradition as an endangered genre”, visit

🔗https://www.elararchive.org/dk0782

Today we celebrate International Women’s Day by highlighting the crafts and knowledges of women of the Huave community in Oaxaca, Mexico. Together with Constanza Aceves Rodriguez they created the collection featuring recordings of women's knowledge relating to weaving techniques and textile production. The collection showcases the role women play in Huave cultural traditions.

To learn more about the collection,“Las Mareñas: A documentation of Huave women’s livelihood”, visit

🔗https://www.elararchive.org/dk0744

The article explores why and how languages are forgotten, and why it is important to preserve them in archives like ELAR.

🔗Read the article “Verstummt und vergessen” by Arnfried Schenk in Die Zeit (issue 08/2026): https://www.zeit.de/2026/08/sprachensterben-bedrohte-sprachen-endangered-languages-archive-elar

Language Documentation and Archiving Conference will take place September 9-11, 2026 in Berlin, Germany, in person and online.

The abstract submission deadline has been extended to 7th of March, 2026.

For more information about the conference, visit:

🔗www.langdoc.org

Abstract submission link:

🔗lda2026.sciencesconf.org