Citizen science for linguistic diversity

Introduction

The module Citizen science for linguistic diversity deals with the role of citizens and researchers together to leverage multilingualism, interculturality and the safeguarding of less used languages around the world. Although citizen science (CS) is well connected with some research domains, such as the life sciences, this module focuses on a much less explored area, CS connected to languages, within the wider context the social sciences and humanities (SSH). The module consists of three units: 

Unit 1: Citizen science: Definitions and key characteristics 

Unit 2: Citizen science for linguistic diversity, and

Unit 3: Citizen scientists in action! Successful CS multilingual projects.

By focusing on CS, this module further explores its role in advancing SSH and language education to foster language inclusivity and linguistic diversity. Although CS has gradually been integrated as a research method in SSH, giving rise to the term “citizen social science” (Albert et al. 2021) and “citizen humanities” (Heinisch et al., 2021), its value to language preservation and multilingualism remains at an early stage. The module aims to bridge the gap between science, academia and society by focusing on how digital technologies and citizen participation create new forms of linguistic innovation, forging active and engaged citizens in linguistic preservation.

This module intends to introduce readers to key definitions and dimensions of CS, emphasising its added value on language education, particularly translation and multilingualism. By providing an overview of how CS language projects play a significant role in fostering language diversity, multilingualism, and knowledge dissemination to multilingual individuals and groups, this module will amplify user’s knowledge and competences in this topic.

Katerina Zourou, Stefania Oikonomou

Please cite as: Zourou, K., Oikonomou, S. (2024). Citizen science for linguistic diversity. BOLD consortium. https://www.eu-bold.com/

On completion of this module participants will be able to:

  • identify CS and its social value beyond academia;
  • understand the link between CS and language preservation;
  • recognise the potential of CS multilingual projects in solidifying and transferring local knowledge on languages within and beyond communities;

This module is open to any interested person eager to learn more on citizen social science, focusing in the field of language education. It particularly serves training purposes of: 

  • university students in language related studies: this module will critically contribute to students’ pursuing bachelor and/or master degrees. The module supports students – and whoever is interested – in navigating the concept of citizen social science, and understanding its role in linguistic innovation and citizen participation in science.
  • university students in education studies: this module will enhance education students’ knowledge and skills on how CS can leverage civic engagement, advocacy and open learning within and beyond the education studies field.
  • civil society organisations (CSOs): this module will offer staff working in the civil society sector an overview of the social value for linguistic and cultural bonding
  • academic teaching staff in the fields of (language) education and SSH at large.
  • Unit 1 dives into the concept of CS focusing on SSH to highlight its relevance and added value to citizen engagement.
  • Unit 2 explores and expands current perceptions and attitudes towards social innovation within translation and multilingual CS projects.
  • Unit 3 presents successful CS language projects to inform readers of tangible results and impact generated by public participation in actions for linguistic diversity.

1,5 hours

Various sources have been used to build this module:

  • Academic papers,studies and reports by EU bodies, international organisations and advocacy groups,
  • Explanatory videos, and
  • How-to guides.

Unit 1: Citizen science: Definitions and key characteristics

What is citizen science

Citizen science refers to public participation in scientific research, thus contributing to the advancement of scientific discoveries and results (Vohland et al. 2021). Naturally, citizen scientists cannot be considered as scientists based on traditional perceptions. However, their role in advancing science is considered beneficial both for scientific communities, citizen scientists and society. In this unit, we’ll navigate the various levels of citizen engagement in science as well as CS’ benefits for communities.

Over the last decade, several initiatives have been undertaken contributing to the enrichment of CS with regards to its definition and frameworks that guide its application in various fields of research. Hence, the existing bibliography provides valuable resources for expanding our knowledge and understanding of CS and its constituent elements.

In particular, our introduction to CS integrates key definitions and insights shared  in the Citizen Science Starter Kit (Veeckman, Van den Bogaert, Keersmaekers, Verbrugge, & Livémont, 2023), resulting from the EUTOPIA-TRAIN initiative (Transforming Research and Innovation, https://eutopia-university.eu/english-version/eutopia-train), coordinated by the Free University of Brussels.

In this toolkit, authors define CS as follows:

“Citizen science, also known as community science, crowd science, civic science, crowdsourcing, volunteer monitoring, volunteered geographic information, is often used as an umbrella term to describe a wide range of participatory activities that involve lay people (‘citizens’) in the scientific process.”

Based on the toolkit (2023), we provide a brief overview of the history of CS. Let’s find out on CS’ past and present together!

The rise of citizen science

According to the EUTOPIA-TRAIN Toolkit (2023) “The term citizen science has multiple origins. It was first mentioned in the 1990s by Rick Bonney (US, ornithologist) and Alan Irwin (UK, sociologist). Their perspectives are being presented as two meanings or strands on citizen science. The first strand, from Irwin, stresses the democratic potential of citizen science. It emphasizes the responsibility of science to society, whereby participants can participate in science in a multitude of ways. 

At the other end of the spectrum is the usage of the term by Bonney et al. (2009), defining citizen science as an approach for cost- effective data collection. In this latter perspective, large- volume observations are gathered to serve the objectives of the scientific enterprise, rather than the co-creation of knowledge with society.

However, even before the emergence of the term CS, public participation and its role in the evolution of scientific research dates back in time (UCL, n.d.). A look at the history of modern science, shows us how the first amateur scientists were coined as ‘citizen scientists’. What’s particularly fascinating is that amateur scientists have been performing research in their free time from their private space (eg. their yard; home office; in the countryside) without belonging to any academic institution, or being formally recognised as scientists. An empowering example is Caroline Herschel who discovered a comet in 1786 by studying the sky on her own. That comet was then named after her, thus acknowledging her contribution to its discovery. Years later, she became the first female scientist in England at the Royal Astronomy Society (EUTOPIA-TRAIN, 2023, p.10)”.

So far, we saw how CS emerged from informal research carried out by ordinary citizens with a vivid interest in expanding knowledge and understanding of our natural environment. In this framework, as a science-based activity, citizen science has its own methodologies, principles and processes of doing research. . In fact, CS remains committed to key scientific methodologies of conducting research, aiming to communicate them to the general public through concrete practice and participation.

One of the most important contributions to framing CS is delivered by the European Citizen Science Association which offers a comprehensive set of 10 principles1 presented below:

  1. CS projects actively involve citizens in scientific endeavors that generate new knowledge or understanding. Citizens may act as contributors, collaborators, or as project leader and have a meaningful role in the project.
  2. CS projects have a genuine science outcome. For example, answering a research question or informing conservation action, management decisions or environmental policy.
  3. Both the professional scientists and the citizen scientists benefit from taking part. Benefits may include the publication of research outputs, learning opportunities, personal enjoyment, social benefits, satisfaction through contributing to scientific evidence e.g. to address local, national and international issues, and through that, the potential to influence policy.
  4. Citizen scientists may, if they wish, participate in multiple stages of the scientific process. This may include developing the research question, designing the method, gathering and analysing data, and communicating the results.
  5. Citizen scientists receive feedback from the project. For example, how their data are being used and what the research, policy or societal outcomes are.
  6. CS is considered a research approach like any other, with limitations and biases that should be considered and controlled for. However unlike traditional research approaches, CS provides opportunity for greater public engagement and democratisation of science.
  7. CS projects’ data and meta-data are made publicly available and where possible, results are published in an open access format. Data sharing may occur during or after the project, unless there are security or privacy concerns that prevent this.
  8. Citizen scientists are acknowledged in project results and publications.
  9. CS programmes are evaluated for their scientific output, data quality, participant experience and wider societal or policy impact.
  10. The leaders of CS projects take into consideration legal and ethical issues surrounding copyright, intellectual property, data sharing agreements, confidentiality, attribution, and the environmental impact of any activities.

The 10 CS principles are available  in pdf form in various languages. You can access them following this link.

1 The principles are presented here verbatim.

Typology of public participation in CS

Participation of ordinary people in CS projects is determined by several factors ranging from personal motivations and interests to the objectives and foreseen impact as outlined by the research group and project organisers. Hence, as CS is based on public participation, a growing number of CS experts and practicioners become keen to explore nuances and levels of public involvement in CS projects. 

In this context, drawing upon the extensive research of Muki Haklay, a renowned geographer who has delved into the intricacies of citizen science, we come across his categorisation of the diverse levels of participation exhibited by individuals involved in CS activities. As Haklay notes (2013), the primary objective of this typology is to manifest the relationship between professional scientists and the broader public, especially in decision-making processes, and monitor their level of participation in such processes.

Thus, Haklay (2013) distinguishes between four levels of public participation in CS:

  • Level 1 – Crowdsourcing: It is, most commonly, associated with volunteer CS activities and it involves minimal cognitive engagement of the public, with participants’ role being limited in providing resources.
  • Level 2 – Distributed intelligence: Participants undergo basic training and then contribute to data collection or simple interpretation activities, showcasing a higher level of involvement into the research process.
  • Level 3 – Participatory science: Participants actively contribute to defining problems, collaborating with scientists to develop data collection methods. They engage in data collection and rely on expert assistance for result analysis and interpretation.
  • Level 4 – Extreme citizen science: A fully integrated approach where both professional and non-professional scientists collaboratively decide on scientific problems, data collection methods, and ensure alignment with scientific protocols. Participants can choose their level of engagement, potentially being involved in result analysis, publication, or utilisation.

Haklay’s typology (2013) of public participation in CS figures below:

Image 2: Level of science²

For an audiovisual introduction to CS, watch this video of Muki Haklay!

Finally, it should be underlined that Haklay’s typology of public participation in CS is not the only typology developed, and that there are several more, such as the Skarlatidou & Muki (2021) typology of levels of engagement. The reason behind the selection of this typology is because a) it is the one based on which many other typologies were developed, and b) it offers a less sophisticated but still very concise interpretation of levels of public participation.

2 The image is taken from Muki Haklay’s personal blogspot, all rights reserved.

Benefits of citizen science

By now, we familiarised ourselves with the term CS, its background, key principles and levels of participation inherent to it. Let’s find out now what is the added value of engaging in CS projects. In other words, provide an answer to the question “Why should I participate in CS?”.

Building upon the EUTOPIA-TRAIN toolkit (2023), we outline below the primary benefits of CS with regards to scientific evolution and society, as presented in the toolkit.

Benefits for science

CS can yield individual benefits and outcomes for researchers in the following ways:

  • Increased research capacities: One of the main reasons why researchers opt for CS is the increase in research potential for data collection and analysis. The work done by citizens does not have to be performed by the researchers themselves, and this is particularly interesting when you want to set up a long-term monitoring programme with a large spatial and temporal coverage, or when a vast amount of data needs to be collected or analysed. The main advantage is thus the shared workload, up to the point where (some of) the research would not be able to take place without the tasks performed by the citizen scientists. In this context, citizen participation may come in various levels of engagement, from crowdsourcing to “extreme” CS (see above Haklay’s typology, 2013). 
  • Newly acquired data and info: Through the participation of citizens in your research, you can add lay, local and traditional knowledge to scientific knowledge. CS can thereby not only increase the amount of research data but can also result in more qualitative and diverse data and information that would otherwise have been very difficult to collect (e.g. in private collections). You can gain access to localised knowledge (e.g. access to certain citizen communities), allowing you to investigate a topic more deeply. Indicatively, there are several topics within SSH that need further investigation through CS, such as Indigenous heritage, migration and refugee-related inclusion, social wellbeing of disabled citizens, etc. This approach is primarily connected to level 1 of citizen participation in CS, namely crowdsourcing (Haklay, 2013).
  • More innovative research: By democratising science processes and diversifying actors in research, new research methods can arise, research strategies can be improved, and new discoveries can be made. This can lead to the production of new scientific knowledge and more innovative, or creative research, especially when “participatory science” or “extreme” CS levels of public engagement are adopted (Haklay, 2013). Hence, CS methogologies have enriched the SSH field in a more participatory fashion through (indicatively) collaborative narratives, mutual learning exercises, and crowdsourcing of e.g. historical documents (COESO, Citizen Science & SSH, n.d.)
  • More societally relevant research: By including citizens in science, the research can better account for citizens’ needs. New research questions can be identified that otherwise would have been neglected. This can ensure that the research is more societally relevant and publicly accepted. Thus, to achieve more socially-oriented research, you need to adopt at least level 3 of public participation in CS, namely “participatory science”, as identified by Haklay (2013). An example of a successful citizen social science (CSS) initiative is the “Writing Across Borders: Narratives of Migration, 1800–1950″! Learn more about it here.
  • Bridging the gap between researchers and citizens: CS equals collaboration. When citizens are involved in science, better mutual understanding can be created between citizens and researchers. Overall, this can develop mutual trust and confidence between scientists and the public. From crowdsourcing to “extreme” CS (Haklay, 2013), each level of public participation in CS brings citizens closer to science and its communities.
  • Diversity in science: When engaging with different actors, from specialised scientists to citizens and early career researchers (inter- or transdisciplinary), more diverse viewpoints and expertise can be included in the research process. This can lead towards more balanced points of view.

(Source: Veeckman, Van den Bogaert, Keersmaekers, Verbrugge, & Livémont, 2023)

Benefits for society

CS can also bring extended societal benefits in the following ways:

  • Scientific literacy: By participating in science activities, citizens can become more scientifically literate. They gain insights into science in general, with the opportunity to learn specific skills and abilities (e.g. critical thinking skills, understanding basic analytical measurements, etc.).
  • Topical knowledge: Being involved in CS activities can not only increase knowledge about science in general, but also about the research topic at hand. Through training and experiential learning, citizen scientists may expand their knowledge of the issue central to the project. This is particularly the case when the project invests in educational efforts.
  • Behaviour change: In turn, increased knowledge can lead towards changes in attitudes and behaviors. This is especially true for projects related to societal topics, whereby an increased awareness and support for certain themes can occur (e.g. minorities’ rights, social inclusion, etc.). Furthermore, such raised awareness is known to correlate with civic engagement, meaning citizens might grow a stronger “sense of belonging” and advocacy for their community. This can lead towards socially-oriented activism, whereby citizens are empowered to be active stewards. Alternatively, it can lead towards increased political participation or more healthy behaviours, depending on the topic of your research.

(Source: Veeckman, Van den Bogaert, Keersmaekers, Verbrugge, & Livémont, 2023)

More broadly, CS can also generate benefits on political and environmental levels: 

  • Political benefits: Data collected in CS projects can help to inform, decide and follow up on policies, which can make them more societally and politically relevant. CS can thereby provide an evidence base for data-driven policymaking. Moreover, by involving citizens in decision-making processes, such as in the monitoring or evaluation of a policy, it can result in greater acceptance and support for important policy themes. The data gathered in CS can eventually also impact on policies and institutions.
  • Environmental benefits: CS projects can also lead towards actions for improved natural environments. For instance, CS research can help to identify polluters or exotic threatened species, to monitor biodiversity with specific conservation actions, or to reinforce bolder environmental policies, laws or regulations with evidence- based data. Sometimes, CS projects also have a cross-over with the implementation of nature-based solutions, e.g. tree planting programmes.

(Source: Veeckman, Van den Bogaert, Keersmaekers, Verbrugge, & Livémont, 2023)

Citizen social science

Although CS is usually associated with scientific research on natural sciences, applying CS to address social challenges has gradually gained more support among social scientists and CS practitioners worldwide. In this famework, the term “citizen social science” (CSS) has emerged encompassing a broad spectrum of disciplines including language education, social history, sociology, and arts. Its focus lies in public participation in social research, and particularly on “concerns raised by groups of citizens and the ways in which these produce new scientific knowledge” (Albert et al. 2021).

Within the realm of CSS, various means of conducting research exist, ranging from traditional on-site endeavors to purely digital-based initiatives. These projects invite citizens to engage in activities such as data collection or analysis of social phenomena and dynamics present in everyday socio-cultural practices as well as represented in archives and repositories. 

Beyond acting as a bridge between CS and social sciences, CSS can empower underrepresented communities by bringing their concerns to the fore of research and policymaking. According to Albert et al. (2021), CSS brings the following benefits to both CS and social sciences fields:

  • Reflexive dimensions.
  • Methods & approaches to evaluation. 
  • New scientific knowledge and understanding. 
  • Improved research quality & relevance.
  • Enhanced involvement of citizens.
  • Experiments in real world settings.

As CSS projects build upon community matters, the cultural heritage field is among those which have a significant pool of CS initiatives to display. In particular, the Zourou & Ziku (2022) study has made an extensive analysis of a collection of CS projects in cultural heritage, bringing valuable insights on the role of academia in enhancing CS practices and projects for the benefit of communities’ heritage. 

You can find out more about the study here!

Within CSS projects, we locate also initiatives aiming to foster linguistic awareness, diversity and advocacy. As language is considered the backbone of communities’ socio-cultural heritage, and a key to their prosperity and propagation, CS can enable citizen engagement in linguistic preservation and diversity, thus addressing a primordial social cause. 

Citizen science communities and produced resources

The growing presence and application of CS methodologies in several fields of research -stemmed from the increased awareness over its scientific and social value- has led to the establishment of robust organisations and networks at European and international levels. Below, we present an overview of such organisations:

  • In Europe, the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) was founded in 2014 aiming to strengthen, promote and enhance CS communities. 
  • In North America, the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS) builds upon the guiding principles of “citizen science, community science, and volunteer monitoring” to expand civic engagement in knowledge production.
  • Likewise, the Australian Citizen Science Association (ACSA) belongs among the pioneers of CS at global scale, having advanced methodologies and practices of community participation in CSS.
  • As more researchers and scientists become aware and interested in the social potential of CS, new CS organisations emerge, such as the newly-established Citizen Science Asia association and Citizen Science Africa which held its first Conference on February 2024!
  • The Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP) is a “network-of-networks” formed to promote and support CS worldwide. Established in October 2022 by major CS associations, CSGP aims to advance global scaling of CS projects by offering tangible support to initiatives across the globe.

Below, we list a series of key CS platforms and resources to look into:

Unit 2: CS for linguistic diversity: from co-creators of knowledge to language advocates

Language education is a scientific field that holds true potential for public participation in socially-oriented research. Moreover, linguistic diversity and inclusion is a serious issue of public concern not only among students and scholars but also community members (eg. linguistic minorities). Thus, CS provides a solid framework upon which both citizen engagement and scientific knowledge are enhanced. 

However, despite the growing trend in academic literature highlighting the importance of CS in a variety of fields and disciplines, its relevance and added value to language studies and particularly in translation and multilingualism sub-domains remains at an early stage.

In this unit, we delve further into the literature on CS language projects, aiming to bring to the fore its value in advancing social and educational research and fostering linguistic inclusivity and diversity.

Source: Unsplash.com

Introduction

The emergence of citizen social science (CSS) calls for novel ways of communicating and fostering linguistic advocacy. Hence, one of the most important goals to be achieved in CS language projects are accessibility and awareness among the broader public. In terms of outcomes, scholars have observed the positive impact of these projects on the advancement of language studies as well as the preservation and documentation of languages (Schäfer and Kieslinger 2016).

Moreover, in the field of languages, the adoption of more bottom-up approaches in research, and the promotion of interdisciplinary scientific methods render CS language projects indispensable in fostering a sense of belonging and community-building among diverse groups of individuals. The feeling forged from contributing to something greater, such as databases of linguistic data, the dissemination of knowledge in one’s mother tongue, or the documentation of languages and dialects that are less used, bring true potential to language preservation projects that are meant to promote social participation and innovation. 

In this unit, we investigate the relationship between CS and language education, aiming at closing the gap between science and society (Schäfer and Kieslinger 2016). In this journey into CS language projects, we focus on how digital technologies create new forms of linguistic innovation powered by grassroots initiatives initiated by ordinary citizens who share their commitment to linguistic preservation.

In a nutshell, the goal is to attempt to address the following arising questions:

  • Why are CS projects important for linguistic diversity and language safeguarding?
  • How do such projects solidify the sense of belonging and community building?
  • How can CS projects leverage advocacy?

Eventually, it is worth reiterating that each CS typology presents its own set of versatile tools and unique challenges (Schäfer and Kieslinger 2016). In what follows, we showcase the contribution of citizens in diverse CS translation projects, while we provide a methodological framework that exemplifies the value of citizen participation for linguistic diversity.

CS translation projects: A case of social innovation

The existing bibliography connecting CS to translation, allows us to examine its transformative potential for social innovation (Heinisch 2021; Tauginienė et al. 2020). As it is presented in module 2 on grassroots innovation, community-driven innovation movements utilise unconventional pathways to achieve societal transformation. Embracing the spirit of community engagement and participation for a social cause, CS projects for linguistic diversity leverage local knowledge to enrich current knowledge through translation. 

As Heinisch (2021) elaborately states, “especially for CS projects that have a global reach, translation is crucial to overcome language and cultural barriers to reach members of the public”. Indeed, in such CS translation and multilingual projects, the public is co-creating with researchers and scientists new knowledge. This trans-linguistic communication is an integral part of CS translation projects whose social impact is significant for community members and researchers involved in them. 

Moreover, it is worth highlighting that CS translation projects do not include amere transfer of words from one language to another, but rather the conveyance of meaning, fostering thus comprehension and solidarity among diverse linguistic communities. In the CS platfom Zooniverse, we can observe various translation projects with a broad international reach, depicting CS’s value in fostering digitally-enhanced and bottom-up social innovation.

Challenges of CS translation projects

Translation, more than a mere transfer of words and languages, transfers another perspective of the world and culture of the translator. It could be argued that such CS endeavors, more than advancement of the translation field, could be viewed as a solid social practice.

In this promising context, there are several challenges to be taken into consideration. Specifically, one significant challenge noted by CS experts is the prevalence of CS projects favouring the English language (Mahony 2018). This issue is particularly pronounced in language studies, where language theorists and language preservation projects emphasise the value of linguistic diversity.

Interestingly, English remains the most widely spoken language in academic fields, despite it is not the native or first language of  the majority of scholars. Thus, the main lingering challenge in CS translation and language projects remains the overrepresentation of the languages of the Global North.

Additionally, considering the voluntary nature of participation in the majority of CS projects, another challenge that emerges is the lack of regular and ongoing engagement of citizen scientists. Participants contribute their time and resources without guaranteed benefits, thus making it difficult to anticipate a systematic commitment from them. Moreover, acknowledging that scientifically-based translation is a demanding activity to carry out, necessitating expertise and experience, it becomes challenging to undertake for individuals without formal training (Desjardins 2021).

Consequently, as individual benefits generated by CS projects are variable and contingent on the time, energy, and resources invested by volunteers (citizen scientists), the issue of sustainability of such projects and their results becomes paramount (Schäfer and Kieslinger 2016). Finally, this challenge is further exacerbated by the insufficient funding, particularly in the SSH field, that hinder the long-term viability of CS translation and language projects.

The value of CS for linguistic diversity

Participating in a CS project for linguistic diversity brings major value at individual, community and societal levels thanks to its positive impact on citizen participation for a social cause, awareness raising, advocacy and action for linguistic preservation and democratisation of social research. Summing up key advantages  of CS projects for linguistic diversity, we identify the following added value:

  • Multilingual revival: CS initiatives for linguistic diversity involve participants from diverse linguistic backgrounds, cultures and ways of being, contributing to the collection of a more extensive and representative datasets. This diversified participation allows for the inclusion of less-studied languages and dialects, enriching social and linguistic research.
  • Community involvement: CS encourages local communities to actively participate in the documentation and preservation of their languages. Their engagement helps safeguard linguistic diversity, thus empowering communities to take an active role in preserving their languages for future generations, fostering a sense of belonging and commitment to a common purpose.
  • Local knowledge: Citizen scientists often bring unique insights and context to linguistic analysis. Their understanding of local customs, traditions, and idioms can contribute to a more culturally and socially informed interpretation of language data, enriching the qualitative aspects of linguistic research. 
  • Linguistic advocacy: Engaging communities in linguistic research through CS can foster community empowerment and pride among participants. Hence, communities learn how to use all available research and coomunication tools to become advocates for their languages, leading to increased awareness on linguistic diversity and the importance of preserving linguistic heritage.
  • Community-Driven Language Change: CS can identify dynamics in the field of linguistic, spotting changes and innovations driven by communities themselves. This grassroots approach to language research provides valuable insights into how languages evolve in response to cultural shifts and external influences.

In summary, CS brings added value to linguistic preservation by promoting inclusivity, community engagement, and the enhancement of linguistic diversity. Through the active participation of citizens, linguistic research becomes more representative, culturally relevant, and aligned with the goals and values of the communities involved, while language scholars and researchers gain participatory and more socially-oriented skills and attitudes in conducting linguistic research with communities.

Unit 3: Citizen scientists in action! Successful CS multilingual projects

Having explored the added-value of CS within linguistics, particularly in the realms of translation and multilingual initiatives, this section will now provide tangible illustrations of CS projects in these fields. 

These examples are informed by the vast opportunities that CS presents for the examination, safeguarding, and preservation of languages and cultures.

#1 Wikitongues

Link: https://wikitongues.org/

Language: English

Level of citizen science: Level 1 – Crowdsourcing

Digital tool(s): online repository

Status: Ongoing

Description 

Wikitongues “is an American non-profit organisation registered in the state of New York. It aims to sustain and promote all the languages in the world. […] It was founded by Frederico Andrade, Daniel Bögre Udell and Lindie Botes in 2014” (Wikimedia foundation)3.

The project was launched as an open-resource collection of world languages. As it is mentioned on their website, wikitongues aims at protecting endangered languages through a language archive of a variety of materials, such as dictionaries, videos, and other linguistic materials. It currently counts resources in over 700 languages.

Communication and outreach: youtube channel, website, the language sustainability toolkit

3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikitongues#cite_note-HS-2

Wikitongues logo

#2 The AIKUMA Project

Link: https://www.aikuma.org/, https://lig-aikuma.imag.fr/index.html

Language: English

Level of citizen science: Level 1 – Crowdsourcing

Digital tool(s): mobile app (android), BOLD (Basic Oral Language Documentation) software

Status: Ongoing

Description 

As mentioned in the website of the Aikuma project, its objective is the safeguarding of living languages spoken worldwide through the use of innovative social tools aiming at solidifying oral culture. Founded in 2012 by Steven Bird and Florian Hanke with sponsorship from the National Science Foundation, Aikuma introduced its further enhanced mobile application, Lig-Aikuma, developed by the University of Grenoble-Alpes (LIG Laboratory). The new version features a series of tools enabling the documentation of underrepresented languages with added features of audio solicitation offering the possibility of sharing these recordings among speakers.

Communication and outreach: application download

The AIKUMA project logo

#3 LINGSCAPE

Link: https://lingscape.uni.lu/

Language: English

Level of citizen science: Level 1 – Crowdsourcing

Digital tool(s): open-access repository, mobile app

Status: Ongoing

Description 

Lingscape is an application dedicated to exploring linguistic landscapes globally. By compiling a collection of images featuring signs and lettering on an interactive map, its aim is to analyse the dynamic nature and diversity of public writing.

The public actively participates and contributes to the project by submitting its own photos. The app features an interactive map with images shared from other users, which can be favored and shared with friends. Lingscape invites the public to adopt the role of a citizen scientist in advancing our collective understanding of linguistic landscapes.

Communication and outreach: blogspot, application (android, ios), instagram, tumblr

Lingscape logo

#4 LanguageARC

Link: https://languagearc.com/

Language: English

Level of citizen science: Level 2 – Participatory intelligence

Digital tool(s): online repository

Status: Ongoing

Description 

The LanguageARC platform is a crowdsourcing-based tool, used by citizens, for the creation of language resources. LanguageARC seeks to develop a community of citizen linguists and researchers working towards common goals. Its aim is to create transferable knowledge in a variety of languages, a feat which would be previously unattainable considering the language barriers. The initiative encompasses diverse projects across various languages, inviting participants to engage by accomplishing tasks like speech recordings, pronunciation exercises, and dialect surveys. Collected language data is subsequently utilised for research, education, and technology development endeavours.

Communication and outreach: blog, instagram, youtube channel

LanguageARC webpage

#5 The Citizen Science Translation Hub

Link: https://citscitranslate.wixsite.com/citscitranslate

Language: English

Level of citizen science: Level 1 – crowdsourcing

Digital tool(s): website

Status: Ongoing

Description

The initiative started as a small side project of Doing It Together Science (DITOs) in early 2018 by Alice Sheppard4. The inception of the Citizen Science Translation Hub acknowledges a significant barrier to the dissemination of citizen science projects—most information regarding such endeavors is overwhelmingly written in the English language. The creators, having observed the issue, are asking the public to contribute to the dissemination of CS through recommending projects that should be available in other languages, except English. Objective is the creation of a pool of volunteer translators, contributing in the expansion of CS across the world. 

Communication and outreach: website

4 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/geography/research/research-centres/extreme-citizen-science-excites/people/alice-sheppard

Source: Unsplash.com

Link: https://europeana.transcribathon.eu/

Language: English

Level of citizen science: Level 1 – crowdsourcing

Digital tool(s): online repository

Status: Ongoing

Description

Europeana Transcribe is an online crowdsourcing platform dedicated to enhancing the digital cultural heritage of Europe. Its objective is to involve the public in transcribing and annotating the extensive collection of digitised items curated by Europeana5, sourced from libraries, archives, and museums across the continent. Many of these items are not yet reflected in the metadata, making it inaccessible and unsearchable. The results will be multi-faceted: digital cultural heritage can become more accessible for the wider public, citizen scientists can broaden their linguistic skills and knowledge in European cultural heritage and finally, making European material inclusive, as transcriptions of image can be translated in audio and text products. 

Communication and outreach: news section

5 https://www.europeana.eu/en

Source: Europeana transcribe webpage

Summing up

Through this module, we aimed to bring to the fore the value of CS for SSH and specifically for linguistic diversity. By exploring the rise of CS and its particular connections and benefits for language-related topics, we invite you to keep expanding and reflecting on the hidden potential of socially-oriented participatory research methods. Thus, the module offered a detailed overview of key CS characteristics, such as the level of public participation in CS projects (Haklay, 2013), and the 10 CS principles (ECSA, 2015), which were linked to CSS initiatives in the field of linguistics. Finally, the presentation of successful CS multilingual projects aimed to provide concrete examples of how CSS is applied for the benefit of linguistic diversity.

Acknowledgments

The team would like to sincerely thank Mrs. Sofia Papatsimpa and Mr. Stavros Samiotis who contributed to the preparation of the module, at various stages. We acknowledge their contribution here and thank them publicly.

Quiz

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