Digitization of Oswin Kohler's analogue audio recordings of endangered and moribund Khoisan languages

The Endangered Language Documentation Programme (ELDP) provides grants worldwide to for the linguistic documentation of endangered language and knowledge. Grantees create multimedia collection of endangered languages. These collections are preserved and made freely available through the Endangered Languages Archive (ELAR) housed at the library of SOAS University of London.

This collection of audio files from different Khoisan languages in Southern Africa was mainly recorded in the 1950s through 1970s by the late German Professor for African Studies, Dr. Oswin Köhler (1911/1996). It includes recordings from the highly endangered Khwe, !Xun and Taa, and the extinct or moribund |'Auni, ||Xegwi and N||ng languages. The recordings were made at a time, when recordings were still rare and all these languages were still spoken more widely. Since they contain information on abandoned or modified cultural practices they represent valuable assets of the cultural heritage of these Khoisan peoples. Primary investigator: Gertrud Boden

Project Details


Location: Organiser(s): Endangered Languages Documentation Programme Project partner(s): Goethe University Frankfurt Funder(s): Arcadia Funding received: £9,821.00 Commencement Date: 01/2013
Project owner? Update this project



Related Projects

Arcadia Logo high res

Documenting the contemporary history of science in India

To collect, preserve and make available online endangered cultural artefacts related to the contemporary (~200 years) history of science in South Asia. It will also develop a …

Explore project
Arcadia Logo high res

Digital Preservation of Kerala Archives

To survey and digitize some of the most important collections of palm-leaf manuscripts in the Thrissur and Ernakulam districts, Kerala, India in both institutional and family …

Explore project
Arcadia Logo high res

Mapping Archaeological Pre-Columbian Heritage in South America

To produce an integrated public access database for the pre-Columbian archaeological heritage of South America, focussing on Brazil and Colombia.

Explore project