The say.by platform together with CLARIN Knowledge Center for Belarusian Texts and Speech Processing (K-BLP), Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics of the National Academy of Sciences, ActiveCloud and Art-Syadziba are preparing to launch a large-scale technological project “Language for Profession” for automated training in Belarusian language communication in a specific professional area.
The program will allow you to practice and prove your knowledge of spoken Belarusian in your profession and even get a certificate, similar to those that exist for foreign languages (analog of TOEFL, IELTS, PTE).
The project is aimed at introducing the Belarusian language into the corporate culture, so that the employees of the companies would understand their native language perfectly, or, even better, would speak Belarusian to the company’s clients and use it more often in communication with their colleagues.
The mobile app is quite easy and convenient to use when studying. Tasks are not very complicated and are more focused on learning specific expressions in the relevant areas of activity. For example, you need to read aloud a short thematic text in Belarusian, or describe a picture in Belarusian.
Artificial intelligence technology – neural networks – are used to produce the results, which will be enriched with thousands of hours of Belarusian texts read out by volunteers as a sample of correct pronunciation.
“If businesses in Belarus take responsibility for the Belarusian language, and we, on our part, create the necessary tools on how best to integrate the Belarusian language into company processes, we can get a big jump in expanding the use of the living Belarusian language. To get to a qualitatively new level.
Besides, it’s a boost in the development of science in Belarusian speech recognition, because we’re doing this project together with the CLARIN Knowledge Center for Belarusian Texts and Speech Processing (K-BLP). The Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the best experts in the Belarusian language, will be involved in making the authoritative assessment.
And the main peculiarity of the project is its thoroughness, timeliness and extreme importance for our country!” says Alyaksandr Shastakovich, head of the project.
Negotiations are underway to support the development of the project with major companies from the banking, retail, technology and communications sectors. Alivaryia Brewing Company, ActiveCloud, Jet BI, Shparki Los Cafe, Gloria Dental Clinic and some others have already joined the project.
Companies that use the Belarusian language in communication will gain customer loyalty and a competitive advantage. In addition, supporting the native language is a prime example of corporate social responsibility.
Belarusian companies can support the startup, as well as caring people who want to make it real not only for their profession, but for the country as a whole.
belsat.eu
