Explore the world around you in 30 endangered languages with Google AI
Languages are vital carriers of culture, history and identity. However, nearly 40% of the world's 7,000 languages are endangered. To highlight the crucial work of cultural communities and researchers dedicated to preserving languages around the world, we’re launching a new edition of Woolaroo, which now uses Gemini to provide more context.
First launched in 2021, Woolaroo is an AI experiment from Google Arts & Culture that lets you snap a photo and learn the words for your surroundings in 30 endangered languages. It was developed with global partners and their communities, who provided curated translation data and audio recordings to help make it accurate and interactive.
This year, we’re including 10 new languages from Africa, plus new languages from Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and Scotland. Our partners have also created stories so you can learn more about their languages and communities, too.
Anyan afọng idem is the Ibibio word for dress.
Ibibio is spoken by the Ibibio-Efik people, who are found in the south of Nigeria. Ibibio speakers can also be found in parts of southwest Cameroon. Photo credit: Iquo DianaAbasi
Gàire is the Scottish Gaelic word for laugh.
Scottish Gaelic is most commonly spoken in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
Photo credit: Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
Íchakpà is the Ekpeye word for road.
Ekpeye is a distinct language spoken by the Ekpeye people in Rivers state in Nigeria.
Photo credit: Angelo Chiacchio
Pena is the Sateré-mawé word for feather.
The Sateré-Mawé language is spoken in the Amazon region by Indigenous groups living predominantly in the Middle Amazon River area.
Photo credit: Joede Michiles
Muzisiyeni is the Lazuri word for musician.
The Laz people can be found around the Eastern Black Coast Mountains of Turkey and Georgia.
Photo credit: Ismail Avci Bucaklisi
Maamea ya'arime is the Yaqui word for craft.
The name of this language is known as Jiak noki which means “Yaqui speak.” This term comes from the root jiia “say, sound” and nooki “speak.”
Photo credit: ISC
Buonjo is the Luo word for smile.
The Dholuo language from Kenya and Tanzania is characterized by a rich linguistic structure.
Photo credit: Angelo Chiacchio
Hulushitee is the Ga word for sunrise.
Ga is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana, in and around the capital of Accra.
Photo credit: Angelo Chiacchio
Discover endangered languages from around the world, learn about their cultures and help promote language preservation at goo.gle/woolaroo and on Google Arts & Culture.
