Kuvi Character Set: A Mobile Interface for the Revitalization of the Kuvi Language

The act of writing is an inherent and fundamental right, and utilizing one's mother tongue for written communication is an essential linguistic entitlement. Unfortunately, the majority of languages worldwide lack a standardized writing system, resulting in their status as unwritten languages. Consequently, these unwritten languages are highly vulnerable to endangerment. Among them is Kuvi, an unwritten language spoken in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, India. In an effort to tackle this issue, the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, with the generous support of Lenovo and Motorola, conducted a comprehensive three-month workshop with the aim of developing character sets specifically designed for Kuvi. As a result, a writing system for the Kuvi language has been successfully developed and implemented within the Android mobile setup (moto e13). The development of a Kuvi character set within a mobile interface holds significant promise for the revitalization of the endangered Kuvi language. By providing a user-friendly platform for Kuvi speakers to engage with their language, this initiative supports language preservation, cultural heritage, and the continued use and transmission of Kuvi. They are leveraging technology to empower language revitalization efforts. The Kuvi character set in a mobile interface represents a crucial step toward ensuring the future vitality of the Kuvi language. This paper will investigate the detailed process involved in creating character sets for unwritten languages, focusing specifically on the case of Kuvi.