About Vocal of Local
A living dictionary for the endangered languages of Arunachal Pradesh — built by the community, for the community.
The problem
Arunachal Pradesh is home to over 30 distinct languages and 100+ tribes. These languages are geographically fragmented — the same tribe in different villages may use completely different words. With no digital tools for preservation, these languages are at risk of disappearing within a generation.
What VOL does
VOL is a community-driven dictionary that documents every word with its exact geographic origin — language, region, and village. When a tourist visits Longding, they can look up the exact dialect spoken there. When a researcher studies Wancho, they can see how it varies across villages.
How verification works
Submit
A contributor submits a word with their village and region
Verify
Native speakers from the same region review and confirm
Publish
Editors approve and the word goes live in the dictionary
Starting with Wancho
Our first language is Wancho, spoken by the Wancho tribe in the Longding district. Wancho has its own Unicode script, multiple regional dialects (Upper Wancho, Lower Wancho), and a rich tonal system. It is the perfect starting point for this project.
Quick facts
Location
Arunachal Pradesh, India
Languages
30+ distinct languages
Tribes
100+ across the state
Status
Many classified as endangered