7323: March 29 New York Corbett list meeting (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Guy Antoine <GuyAntoine@windowsonhaiti.com>


The March NY Corbett list gathering will be held Thursday, March 29 
at 6pm at NCHR at 275 7th Avenue, near 26th street, 17th floor. 

The discussion will center on the evolution of language tools that will
benefit the users of Haitian Creole (Haitian, Kreyol, Ayisyen), most
particularly in its written expression.  Tools such as: OCR, on-line 
proofing of documents (spellcheckers), e-mail and desktop publishing
systems, conversion of one spelling system to another, support for 
the standardization of Creole orthography, tools of automated or 
supported translation, tools for learning, etc.

Please note that it is not implied that any of the tools mentioned above
have necessarily been perfected, or are at this or that specific stage
of development.  But a lot of linguists, and translators, and archivists, 
and webmasters, and programmers, and educators, and writers, and
publishers, and investors, have begun to pay some serious attention 
to the languages spoken by millions of people (Haitian Creole being 
one of them), and looking at the benefits of bringing it to par with with 
the world's dominant languages, in terms of the tools providing access 
to their riches for professional or lay people caring to take advantage 
of them.

Corbett list member Marilyn Mason is the founder, President and COO
of a company, MIT2 (Mason Integrated Technologies) which has the
extremely ambitious goal of creating most if not all of those tools.  She
will give us an expose of recent developments in the field and opportunities
that should develop for all those wishing to lend their expertise and push 
the envelope of language communications throughout the world, but most
particularly for speakers and writers of the national language of Haiti.

As in previous sessions, the presentation will be of an informal nature.
Friendly discussion is expected.  Particularly welcome will be your
contribution of wine or cheese or crackers, fruit or nuts, hors-d'oeuvre
and good cheer.