FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet1 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA The European Language Resources and Technologies Forum: Shaping the Future of the Multilingual Digital Europe Khalid Choukri ELRA/ELDA Session 1 Broadening the Coverage, Addressing the Gaps E/BLARK as a tool for Language Resources Coverage assessment, Road mapping, and Language Policy planning Some thoughts and considerations

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet2 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA ELRA's Views on WHAT ARE THE MISSING LRs PIECES  Related to a number of Dimensions to consider: Technologies/Dev : ASR, TTS, S2S, MT Languages (& Varieties) Domains Technologies/Evaluation  Derived from Cataloguing  What is "NOT" available at "fair conditions"  (Pricing, licensing, re-usability, etc.)  What exist but is not available (traded vs not traded),  see next slide  What exist but is not (yet?) identified (assumptions)  What is lost !! Not archived (even what have been funded by public agencies)  What does not exist (e.g. is really missing, our guesses) ELRA ICom (Infrastructure committee) & Universal Catalogue & related issues (Metadata, New Data licensing, distribution/sharing mechanisms, etc.)

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet3 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA Traded Not traded Spending on LRs is driven by: New applications Number of languages Public Policies Decreasing number of new customers Not available Share of publicly traded LRs will be driven by: Availability Differentiation rationales Some input from Bain market analysis (for ELRA)

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet4 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA BLARK as an Instrument for Policy Making and Policy Makers What can you do for BLARK?  Define, Specify, Improve, etc.  see the ELRA site:  Help enhance the content of the Universal Catalogue What can BLARK do for you?  Help you with useful input for your R&D and your Cooperations,  What can your "agency" do for BLARK  Ensure that it is accurate and reflects community plans/trends OR some "body" legitimate strategy.  Use it as a "consistent" planning/roadmapping instrument  Use it as a "State of the Art" Inventory to understand the "country" position within HLT sector

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet5 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA WHAT CAN WE (WE?) DO TO ADDRESS SUCH SHORTAGES in LRs Universal Catalogue and Common metadata (e.g. ELRA/LDC/NICT/OLAC):  How can this be a LRs "YouTube" or the like? Revise Distribution mechanisms & pricing policies  e-Licensing & e-distribution, and other frameworks to foster the successful sharing of LRs?  freeware, shareware, "fair" prices

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet6 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA ENHANCE SYNERGIES IN LR PRODUCTION (OR PACKAGING) THROUGH COOPERATION BETWEEN COMMUNITIES Check who is producing, as "side-products", essential LRs for HLT e.g. Publishers, broadcast companies, etc. Public data (Parliaments (EuroParl), governments, agencies, etc.) "Research Fair Act" a la European Union  ELRA to launch a Petition on this…..  Simplify the current legal framework

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet7 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA CAN WE LEAVE SOME OF THIS TO "LUCRATIVE BUSINESS PRINCIPLES" Sure, many marketplaces are left to private initiatives e.g. Banking & trading See S6 For Market aspects… What happen when Private sector produces LRs (even with Public funds) ?  (20%) Buy, (25%) make and share, (55%) make & keep (Bain) What would be the costs to regain existing positions if things develop badly?  Need for a European LRs Investment FUND (Contributors, ROI)

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet8 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA HOW CAN LR DEVELOPED TODAY …. LAST FOR EVER!! Usability issue & Availability (inc. Accurate Metadata) Standards/best practices / Validation of the quality Interoperability Sustainability /Bug reporting/ Updates Above all: excellent specifications, consideration of today's state of the art and today's trends e.g. Broadcast news ….. Audio tracks … Video, Audio: multiple tracks, multi-track Subtitles,

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet9 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA HOW TO CUT COST IN DATA PRODUCTION … Or to produce more with the same budget See coming presentations (e.g. Asuncion Moreno) What about a European fund for LRs Production

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet10 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA QUALITY Compromise: Produce large quantities of data vs Tuned/hand crafted ones Cost vs System performance System Training vs Evaluation

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet11 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA HOW CAN THESE CONSIDERATIONS BE LINKED TO BLARK/ELARK: BLARK & ELARK are only instruments (what to do and not "the do")  Universal Catalogue (Identified all existing resources, worldwide)  ELRA efforts… ICom (Infrastructure Com. catalog, e-distrib, e-license, e-share)  ……. They are instruments that helps conduct: Coverage assessment & Identification of Gaps, Road mapping & HLT Policy planning But also R&D & Cooperations between researchers (BLARK reflects "state of the art" ) (enhanced) coordination between all involved agencies …. If used adequately They require accurate design/completion, Regular updating and extension

FlareNet – Forum Vienna 12-13/02/2009 FLaReNet12 FLaRe Net Fostering Language Resources Network Session 1 Session 1/KC/ELRA BLARK as an Instrument for Policy Making and Policy Makers "By acting as technologically demanding first buyers, public procurers can drive innovation from the demand side. In addition to improving the quality and effectiveness of public services, this can help create opportunities for European companies to take international leadership in new markets".  Quoted from ….. Need for a European LR production Investment fund