Snapchat Collaboration

In celebration of International Mother Language Day, on the 21st of February, First Languages Australia and Snapchat launched the 'Australian Indigenous Language Lens' - a filter available for use in the Snapchat app.

This pilot project involved collaboration with Isabel Varney (Yawuru), Shaun Davies (Yugumbeh), Geoff Anderson (Wiradjuri) and Annalee Pope (Wakka Wakka) who each contributed words from their languages.

How does it work? Shapchat users can use the icons pictured below, to select a language. Then when a user spots a target object the app will recognise the object and display the word in the chosen language.

Yawuru contributor and language teacher, Isobel Varney, described the project to The West Australian. “By just a press of the button, people can learn a 50,000-year-old word. This spreads awareness...language, it’s just part of our DNA. It means so much to us that people are a bit more aware of it and what it means to us.”

Project coordinator, Annalee Pope explained to SBS that the list of translations is currently limited to objects that can be recognised by Snapchat's artificial intelligence, and the words approved by community for sharing. It is planned that over time more words from these languages will be added.

Annalee has already received requests for several additional languages to be added. Whether this happens depends on how successful Shapchat determines this pilot to be, so you can help us by using the lenses, sharing via social media and encouraging others to have a go too.