Current Issues in Descriptive Linguistics and Digital Humanities (eBook)

This book is a convergence of heterogeneous insights (from languages and literature, history, music, media and communications, computer science and information studies) which previously went their separate ways; now unified under a single framework for the purpose of preserving a unique heritage, the language. In a growing society like ours, description and documentation of human and scientific evidence/resources are improving. However, these resources have enjoyed cost-effective solutions for Western languages but are yet to flourish for African tone languages. By situating discussions around a universe of discourse, sufficient to engender cross-border interactions within the African context, this book shall break a dichotomy of challenges on adaptive processes required to unify resources to assist the development of modern solutions for the African domain. 

Moses Ekpenyong is an Associate Professor of Computer Science and current Director, Centre for Research and Development, University of Uyo. His research covers a broad spectrum of Computational Intelligent methods that ignite evidence-based solutions, through the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science in the STEM, Humanities and Medical disciplines. Within the STEM disciplines, he applies machine learning techniques in areas of development challenge. So far, Dr. Ekpenyong has explored areas of critical and unmet needs in the fields of Communications, Oil and Gas, and more; mainly focusing on AI-driven tools/models' development for scientific discoveries and knowledge-based systems. In the humanities, he has used Speech Technology to build adaptive, open-source, and data-driven tools/models for African tone languages and cooperating with colleagues in a Nigerian language Project, to actualize a spatial databank for Nigerian languages using GIS technology. His collaboration in the field of Medicine applies Bioinformatics and Biological Computing to develop hybrid frameworks/systems for global infectious disease surveillance. Dr. Ekpenyong has served as a reviewer to numerous national and international journals and has over 100 publications to his credit. He is a member of several professional bodies and has held key positions within the University system.

Imelda Icheji Udoh is a Professor of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages in the University of Uyo. She has done extensive research in Descriptive and Documentary Linguistics on languages of the Upper and Lower Cross River spoken in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States of Nigeria, through several projects like the Electronic Metastructure for Endangered Language Data (E-MELD) housed in Michigan State University, of which she is an Advisor. She is the coordinator of the Nigerian Languages Project, which is building up a database on Nigerian languages, as well as mapping them using GIS Technology. Professor Udoh is on the editorial board of national and international journals, and a reviewer to several of these journals, with over 70 publications. She has passion for the minority languages, especially Leggbo, and other Upper Cross languages of the Cross River State, Nigeria; and has produced several books on core areas of Language Description and Documentation. Professor Udoh has also served as a co-instructor on 'Documentation of Orature' at the Institute of Collaborative Research (CoLang), Alaska, sponsored by NSF, ELF, LSA. She is a DAAD alumnus and belongs to several professional bodies including the Nigerian Academy of Letters.

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This book is a convergence of heterogeneous insights (from languages and literature, history, music, media and communications, computer science and information studies) which previously went their separate ways; now unified under a single framework for the purpose of preserving a unique heritage, the language. In a growing society like ours, description and documentation of human and scientific evidence/resources are improving. However, these resources have enjoyed cost-effective solutions for Western languages but are yet to flourish for African tone languages. By situating discussions around a universe of discourse, sufficient to engender cross-border interactions within the African context, this book shall break a dichotomy of challenges on adaptive processes required to unify resources to assist the development of modern solutions for the African domain.