Dictionaries project

The advancement of language is critical to strengthening the cultures, identities, and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. As part of our contribution to advancing languages, AIATSIS funds the publication of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language dictionaries.  

Throughout Australia, dictionary databases have been created for languages. In many cases, lack of funding has prevented publication from taking place. In numerous other cases, publication has taken place long ago, or in low-quality physical formats, which over time have now deteriorated, leaving communities without access to their dictionaries. 

To date, we have funded the publication of 20+ dictionaries:

Recipients of our funding are based on three main criteria: 

1. The dictionary must be supported by the relevant Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language community or communities. 
2. Community members must be meaningfully engaged in its development. 
3. The dictionary is rated highly in terms of: 
   1. Significance (e.g., importance to the community) 
   2. Quality (e.g., richness of entries, number of entries, ease of use, reader guidance such as maps, grammatical information, etc.) 

Dictionary funding applications are assessed by the AIATSIS Languages Advisory Committee and by an internal panel at the AIATSIS Centre for Australian Languages. 

If you are developing a dictionary that you believe meets our criteria, we encourage you to download and complete the Expression of Interest form, then email it to dictionaries@aiatsis.gov.au along with any attachments mentioned within. 

If you are unsure of whether your dictionary qualifies for funding within the AIATSIS Dictionaries Program or if you have any questions, please email us your contact details and we will arrange a time to discuss this with you. 

Do you have a dictionary manuscript or database that’s a long way off publication? Even if you don’t think it will be ready for many years, we would love to hear from you so that you can be on our radar. 

Dictionary Launches