College of Indigenous Futures Education and the Arts, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Australia.
MJD Foundation, Darwin, Australia.
Augment Altern Commun. 2022 Dec;38(4):209-220. doi: 10.1080/07434618.2022.2128410. Epub 2023 Jan 4.
Yolŋu, Aboriginal people from Arnhem Land, Australia are at risk of Machado-Joseph disease, with progressive loss of speech. Yolŋu are interested in developing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems in their own languages. This research aimed to develop a culturally responsive process to explore and create a core vocabulary word list for Yolŋu adults living with the disease for inclusion in AAC system prototypes. A list of 243 Yolŋu words and morphemes was created. In this highly collaborative, mixed methods, participatory action research, (the Yolŋu word for non-Aboriginal people) and Yolŋu researchers conducted cycles of transcription and analysis of a language sample, with oral group discussions to identify which words to include, omit, or add, based on Yolŋu perceptions of the structure and use of their languages. A Yolŋu metaphor, ("Harvesting yams"), was identified by Yolŋu researchers to represent and share the research process and findings. Three key themes were identified that summarize the main cultural and linguistic considerations related to changes made to the core vocabulary. Study findings emphasized the role of language as an expression of culture and identity for Indigenous peoples and the importance of considering cultural and linguistic factors in selecting vocabulary for AAC systems.
澳大利亚阿纳姆地的约鲁巴族（Yolŋu）人面临着 Machado-Joseph 病的风险，这种疾病会导致言语逐渐丧失。约鲁巴族（Yolŋu）人有兴趣用自己的语言开发增强和替代沟通（AAC）系统。本研究旨在开发一种文化响应的过程，以探索和创建一个包含在 AAC 系统原型中的患有这种疾病的成年约鲁巴族（Yolŋu）核心词汇表。创建了一个包含 243 个约鲁巴语单词和词素的列表。在这项高度协作的混合方法、参与式行动研究中，（非原住民的约鲁巴语词）和约鲁巴族（Yolŋu）研究人员对语言样本进行了转录和分析的循环，进行了口头小组讨论，以根据约鲁巴族（Yolŋu）对其语言结构和使用的看法，确定要包含、省略或添加哪些单词。约鲁巴族（Yolŋu）研究人员确定了一个约鲁巴族（Yolŋu）隐喻，（“收获山药”），以代表和分享研究过程和发现。确定了三个关键主题，总结了与核心词汇变化相关的主要文化和语言考虑因素。研究结果强调了语言作为土著民族文化和身份表达的作用，以及在为 AAC 系统选择词汇时考虑文化和语言因素的重要性。
