LINGUIST List 5.888

Sun 14 Aug 1994

FYI: NLLIA DATABASE, SLART-L, ALFAL, Ben Gurion, Morpholympics

Editor for this issue: <>

Directory

1. Peter White, 1000
2. , SLART-L address
3. Diane Ringer Uber, ALFAL (Spanish & Portuguese linguistics association)
4. nomi shir, Department of Foreign Literatures and Linguistics, Ben Gurion U.
5. Bernhard Schroeder, Report on the 1st Morpholympics

THE NLLIA DATABASE SYSTEM -- PUBLIC ACCESS

We have now developed the NLLIA Database system so that anyone may access
it directly, provided that they have the ability to use the 'telnet'
command from their host computer.

Here are the steps to gain access to the database system.

1. telnet lingua.cltr.uq.oz.au
2. Login as dbguest
3. Password is NLLIA-db (exactly as it is printed).
4. You will get further instructions at this point. Generally you
 should now ensure that your terminal type is a VT100.
5. A small menu will appear. Select option 1 to access the database
 system.
6. At the database login screen, type in your email address. This
 will give you access, as well as an automatic mail-back for any
 reports you may generate.
7. The database system copyright notice will appear, and then the
 main menu.
8. Select which database you wish to access by typing in the
 appropriate number, or by placing the cursor next to your option
 and pressing the space bar.
9. The search screen will appear.

AT THIS POINT: Some hints.

The bottom line is always the HELP line. This line changes each time you
move the cursor to the next field.

Whenever you see a ? at the help line, it means that there is additional
search help available. If you press ? you will get another search
window, with special tables you can access to help refine your search.

If you have problems, and want to get out of the screen you're in, use
the sequence <esc> 3 <esc> 3. Hit the <esc> key and then the 3 key
twice. This will always take you back to the previous screen.

To scroll UP, use the sequence <esc> 7

To scroll DOWN, use the sequence <esc> 8

ALWAYS leave the database by going to the main menu and quit by typing X

If the database crashes, or other weird things happen, PLEASE, please,
let us know ASAP. Most of these crashes can be fixed within minutes.

WHAT'S IN THE DATABASES?

There are 8 databases you can search:

Courses: full details on about 8,000 language/literacy subjects
 taught in Australian universities, both under- and
 post-grad.

Institutions: addresses and phone numbers on about 900 different
 institutions in Australia involved in languages, literacy
 applied linguistics, etc.

Resources: Over 7,000 references to language/literacy resource
 materials including about 1100 CALL programs.

Language
Professionals: We have listings on over 2,500 people, with considerable
 detail on may of them. Details other then institution,
 position, language specialty, etc. have been volunteered
 by people. If you want to be listed, contact us. If you
 are listed, and the data are not correct, PLEASE contact
 us.

Bibliography: This database contains nearly 7,000 citations, with about
 half relating to adult and child literacy. Where we have
 obtain them, we have included abstracts. Virtually all
 the citations relate to materials written by Australian
 professionals. If you want your materials listed, PLEASE
 contact us.

Scholarships: We list information on over 250 scholarships, awards,
 exchange schemes, fellowships, etc. relating to language/
 linguistic study/research. Target groups range from
 post-doctoral research fellows to high school students.

Adult LOTE: Designed to contain information on LOTE and literacy
 classes, we have only entered 900+ LOTE courses available
 to adults. This database is now about 1.5 years old, and
 we intend to update it (politics willing) in the near
 future. However, the materials are current enough to
 provide some information on where languages are taught.

Literacy
Research: This database lists details on over 500 research projects
 in the areas of adult literacy and child ESL. Data are
 continuously being added to this database, as we receive
 details from the NLLIA Network nodes.

REPORTS: You can generate reports on all of these databases by
 following the Help line directions on the bottom of each
 search screen. The reports will be automatically mailed
 to your home directory on your host computer.

HANDBOOK: We have just completed (after 6 months' work), aa 251 pp
 Handbook for users. If you want one of these, please
 contact us. They are available now at $45.00 plus postage.

HASSLES: IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, OR YOU FIND DATA THAT IS
 INCORRECT, PLEASE CONTACT US! Your feedback is the most
 important information we get in keeping the system alive
 and well. If you dont' tell us, we can't fix it.

Good luck with it all. Have a good time. Please consider giving us
material to put into the system; we're delighted to be able to do so.

Peter White
Nigel Hamilton
Helen Achurch

Linguists:

The SLART-L mailing list is "for those involved or interested in
second or foreign language acquisition research and/or teaching."
You can subscribe to it by sending email to:

 listservcunyvm.cuny.edu

containing the line:

subscribe slart-l <first_name> <last_name>

Walter McHenry

 As the new Regional Delegate from the United States, I would like
to encourage U.S.-based scholars who work on Spanish or Portuguese
linguistics, philology, or literature to consider membership in the
Asociacion de Linguistica y Filologia de la America Latina (ALFAL). ALFAL
was founded in 1964 with the purpose of supporting linguistic,
philological, and literary studies in Iberoamerica. The Association meets
every three years and published a yearly journal, Linguistica.

 Dues are only $30.00 for the three-year period 1994-96. New
members pay an additional one-time fee of $10.00. Subscriptions to
Linguistica are $20.00 per year. For membership information, please
contact:
 Diane Ringer Uber
 Regional Delegate to ALFAL
 Spanish Dept
 The College of Wooster
 Wooster, OH 44691
 tel (216) 263-2382
 fax 216/263-2427
 Internet: duberacs.wooster.edu
 Bitnet: duberwooster.bitnet

 August 8, 1994.


Dear Colleagues and Friends,

 Half a year ago the Department of Foreign Literatures and Linguistics
at Ben Gurion University of the Negev faced an uncertain future owing to the
fact that the administration had frozen all appointments and had threatened to
take away two positions. We were very heartened by the letters
of support we received and are happy to inform you that this threat to the
department has been removed, mainly due to a timely change within the
administration. The department has been given the go-ahead to make two new
appointments and we are confident that we will now be able to enact our long
overdue plans for development.

 Sincerely,

 Nomi Erteschik-Shir, Chair
 Haim Finkelstein, Outgoing Chair

 Publication on testing morphological analyzers

The 1. Morpholympics, held March 7 and 8, 1994, at the University
of Erlangen-Nuremburg, was organized as a competition between
different systems of automatic word form analysis, testing for
coverage, speed, and quality of analysis.

A detailed description of the 1. Morpholympics has now been published
in the latest issue of the LDV-Forum (Vol. 11:1), containing

1. The judges' evaluation of participating systems (in German)
2. Presentation of the Kimmo-system (in English)
3. Presentation of the Morph-system (in German)
4. Presentation of the LA-Morph system (in German)
5. Summary of the measurements (in English)
6. The coordinator's final report (in English)

Copies of the current LDV-Forum may be obtained by sending email to
 uteiaisun.iai.uni-sb.de

There is a charge of DM 20.- plus postage and handling.

The LDV-Forum is published by the `Gesellschaft f"ur Linguistische
Datenverarbeitung' (GLDV) and distributed to its members. Please send
email to
 lendersuni-bonn.de
if you would like to join the GLDV as a member.

Roland Hausser Winfried Lenders
Coordinator of the 1. Morpholympics GLDV President


PS: A complete description of the 1. Morpholympics, including the
presentations of all participating systems, is currently in preparation.