Hmong language and dictionary resources

One of the best Hmong (and Mong) dictionary resources, Jay Xiong's Hmong-English Dictionary Software, is now available for free (although, a $5 donation is suggested). It not only includes the ability to search definitions in both Hmong and English, but also provides sound clips of consonants, vowels, and tones. You can also search the dictionary online at his website and hear sound clips of common words. The print version of the dictionary is also worth the price.

Jay also promotes Tony Vang's Hmong Tutorial that includes a book and software that covers the basics of speaking and writing Hmong. I haven't used it myself, but it sounds like a good place to start for people who want to start learning Hmong language.

It's sad to see that the Saturn School White Hmong Dictionary has been taken offline. Along with the dictionary, it also featured folktales and proverbs--useful information for people interested in Hmong culture. Koua Lee's online Lomation Hmong Text Reader is still available and provides both a sound file of the word and a definition. (Type in the word, or copy and paste some text and click 'Read'. Moving the mouse over the word (after clicking 'Read') causes the definition to pop up.) It's especially handy for getting a quick sense for a sentence since it can pull up definitions for several words at once.

For those interested in a print dictionary, Yuepheng Xiong's recent Hmong-English/English-Hmong Dictionary is probably the best available. You can find it at his book store (ABC Hmong) in both pocket and standard size (although the standard size doesn't appear to be available online at the moment).

I've recently come across a couple of new online Hmong dictionaries, but I won't link them here since it appears that they have scraped their content from other sources without attribution (not to mention, both featured several incorrect definitions). I even contacted the owners of the website to voice my concerns about their potential copyright violations but received no response. You can find my updated collection of Hmong dictionary links here, which includes link to specialized dictionaries for law, health, and religion.

Lomation.com - free, online White Hmong dictionary and text reader

[Update: The Lomation website has moved in a new direction, but the White Hmong Text Reader and Dictionary is still available here. For a more recent information about online Hmong language and dictionary resources, check out this post.]

Inspired by the need for Hmong language learning resources, Koua Lor and his wife, Pa Houa, began developing the framework for what would become www.lomation.com - home to a free, online White Hmong dictionary and text reader. Their goal - use computer technology to make language learning fun and simple. Work on the project began in 2000, but stopped a year later when it appeared that there wasn't a strong demand for Hmong educational materials. When Koua was asked by his brother, Dr. Bee Lo of UW-La Crosse, to develop software for a Hmong language course he taught, the project was resumed. The course was a success and since then, Koua and Pa have continued to work on the software. In May of 2006, they released a version of the dictionary and reader on the web, and in early March of 2007, they released a major update.

The Hmong Text Reader with integrated Dictionary (HTRiD) presents the user with a text box into which White Hmong in RPA can be entered. Clicking the "Read" button processes the text - resulting in a word-by-word spoken rendition based on sound files recorded by Pa. (Around 1,800 words have been recorded so far.) By placing the mouse cursor over the words of the text, a small window appears with English definitions and example uses of the selected word. (The home page of the website also features a box where single words can be entered to find English definitions.) The mouse over feature is limited to analyzing the text word-by-word, but often the examples offered with the English definition include common uses in expressions. While the dictionary is not exhaustive, for a quick, easy-to-use, FREE online tool - the results are impressive.

Dedicated to preserving the Hmong language, Koua and Pa continue to improve the HTRiD as a labor of love, and it looks like they might be posting more frequently to the blog-like home page of the website (including a recent post on what syllables are possible in the Hmong language). Their generosity is a great service to all of us who hope to learn more about Hmong language and culture.