Dr. Adeola Agoke, Director of the African Languages Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has published Proficiency-Based Dictionary of Yorùbá Language. This open-source, digital resource fills an important gap in language acquisition and learning.
Language learning involves the use of dictionaries, but the use of conventional dictionaries often introduces barriers to learning or heightened challenges for use by foreign language learners. Existing works of Yoruba language dictionaries have been instrumental in supporting the linguistic needs of Yoruba language users who are either proficient in the language or have the tools to navigate the language. However, there has not been much attention to the pedagogical needs of foreign and second language learners of Yorùbá. In her work, Dr. Agoke addresses this problem with the development of the proficiency-based dictionary, which is the first of its kind for Yorùbá and most African languages instruction, designed exclusively for the use of foreign language learners. With the support of Title VI National Resource Center funding from the University of Wisconsin-Madison African Studies Program, Dr. Agoke undertook a years-long scholarly endeavor to create the open-source Proficiency-Based Dictionary for foreign and second language learners, with her first volume being the elementary Yoruba Pedagogy Dictionary. Dr. Agoke is currently working on an intermediate-level companion dictionary.
The dictionary is structured to provide contextualized vocabulary contents along with sequenced audio and visual contents drawing on the ACTFL can-do statements. Using combined technology, users of this dictionary can listen to the audio-recorded words, and watch audio-visually recorded monologues and dialogues in Yorùbá. The dictionary also includes grammar notes to provide ongoing context to colloquial Yoruba language use, which will continue to reflect the ordinary everyday linguistic creativity of speakers of Yorùbá. Yoruba learners in any US institution can access the vocabulary words as well as the audiovisuals simultaneously. They can also sort vocabulary based on their categorization (such as by nouns or verbs). This approach employs American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines to ensure that language learners can most effectively utilize the dictionary as they learn, and provides Yoruba learners across the United States with a tool for effective dictionary usage. This dictionary is an open education resource and targets beginner learners. Intermediate and early advanced learners can benefit from its content and would benefit even more in the upcoming series. Access this open-source resource here: https://wisc.pb.unizin.org/yorubadictionary/