Q: Let’s start with introducing yourself!
A: My name is Callysta Caraballo. I am a 23-year-old graduate from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics. I interned at The Language Conservancy (TLC) as a linguist.
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Q: Can you share your experience as an intern at TLC and what you have learned during your internship?
A: I worked on trimming and cleaning audio files to be used in apps and dictionaries, specifically for Northern Cheyenne, Dilzhe’e Apache, and Yavapai. I also trained an AI program with other audio files to transcribe new audio semi-automatically.
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Q: What motivated you to pursue a career in linguistics, and how do you see this field intersecting with your passion for language revitalization?
A: I was first introduced to linguistics almost accidentally through a requirement of a scholarship I had in college, which made me take an introductory linguistics course. The passion I exhibited when participating in this class was greater than that for any other subject I had ever encountered, so I decided to change my major almost immediately. This interest I had in linguistics intersected with my interest in machine learning and machine translation and later culminated in a passion for computational linguistics.
My passion for language revitalization mounted quickly as I learned more about how communities with languages that are not widespread are underrepresented in computational data and translation tools. I knew I wanted to apply my knowledge to real-world problems.
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Q: How do you envision utilizing the skills you have gained in your future endeavors?
A: I learned how to use a new audio transcription AI model and how to script in Google Apps, which will definitely be helpful in the future. The main thing I am taking away from this experience is the mindset I cultivated here with the help of the environment and discussions in the linguistics department. I was surrounded by amazing people who inspired me to be better every day, and I will hold onto that feeling for as long as I can.
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Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in language revitalization?
A: I would first ask them to deeply consider what their core ideal is that fuels their passion for language revitalization. I would then ask them to remember their answer and draw on their passion because that is what will keep them coming back excited every day, as it did for me working here.