Part I.pdf - MTB-MLE Network

CHAPTER 4Developing Minority Language WritingSystems 1Catherine Young, SIL International (Asia)Before a minority language community can develop literature in its own language and start a literacyprogramme, they need to develop a writing system. Each language group’s situation is unique,and each group will need to adapt the process for developing an appropriate writing system to theirown context. However, there are some general principles. A writing system should be:• developed with the involvement of the community at all levels, and be acceptable tothe majority of mother-tongue speakers of the language. The mother-tongue speakersof a language are the true experts on their language, and they need to be closely involvedin all aspects of the decision-making process;• acceptable to the national and local government of the country;• representative of the sounds of the language;• as easy as possible to learn to read;• designed to enable mother tongue speakers to transfer between reading in both the majorityand minority languages; and• easy to reproduce and print.“Smalley’s Maximums”William Smalley 2 was a linguist who worked in South-East Asia for many years. He developeda list of factors that he thought were the most important things to remember when developing anorthography. These are often now known as “Smalley’s Maximums.”Maximum motivation: The orthography should stimulate and motivate people to read and write intheir language.Maximum representation: The orthography should accurately represent the language that peoplespeak in their everyday life.1UNESCO. Manual for Developing Literacy and Adult Education Programmes in Minority Language Communities. Bangkok:UNESCO, 2004, pp. 38-49.2Smalley, William A. “How shall I write this language?” Orthography Studies: Articles on new writing systems. London:United Bible Societies, 1964, pp. 49-69.29