ABSTRACT
The Diyari language, spoken in northern South Australia, is unusual for an Australian Aboriginal language in having an extensive range of written sources dating from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century, many created by Lutheran missionaries. Outstanding among the missionary materials is a 14-volume manuscript in German by the Rev. J. G. Reuther, four volumes of which comprise a Diyari-to-German dictionary. Scherer’s English translation of the dictionary is 2,180 printed pages, but only available as a microfiche. There is a high level of interest in this dictionary from the descendants of the people Reuther studied with, especially members of the Dieri Aboriginal Corporation (DAC), who are keen to revitalise the language and develop practical teaching materials. In their current forms, both Reuther’s original and Scherer’s translation present many difficulties for use, both by community members and researchers. This chapter reports on current research and development by David Nathan and myself to add value to and increase the utility of the Reuther-Scherer dictionary, and to provide access to its contents in various ways.
