Back in 2005 Sydney University musicologist Linda Barwick pointed out in a paper published in Language Documentation and Description Volume 3 that linguists often record songs as part of their research, even if they are not themselves specialists in music or musicology. She mentions that, at that time, around 25% of the sound files in the Paradisec archive were song recordings. Indeed, a quick check of the current Paradisec catalogue reveals that there is a large amount of singing in their collection.
A search of the Paradisec online catalogue (which contains 8,058 items all together) on 17th July 2013 for “song” returned 579 items (and for “songs” a further 140 items — unfortunately the Paradisec catalogue does not seem to use stemming algorithms which would return all “songs” together with “song”). The 579 song items are recorded in 100 languages:
Abadi (1), Abau (1), Agta, Dupaninan (4), Aiton (1), Äiwoo (2), Ambae, East (2), Ambae, West (2), Ambrym, North (3), Amele (1), Aneityum (1), Angal (1), Angal Heneng (1), Ap Ma (1), Apma (6), Arandai (1), Arapesh, Bumbita (1), Asmat, Central (14), Babatana (1), Bahinemo (2), Bali (1), Barai (1), Batak Mandailing (1), Batak Simalungun (2), Bauro (1), Bilua (1), Binandere (1), Bislama (20), Boikin (1), Bosmun (1), Bughotu (1), Burarra (5), Cheke Holo (2), Chinese, Hakka (1), Dehu (2), Duna (3), Efate, North (2), Efate, South (13), Embaloh (1), Enga (1), English (23), Fas (14), Fataleka (1), Fijian (28), Fore (2), Gao (1), Gimi (1), Gogodala (1), Greek (1), Hindustani, Fijian (6), Ilocano (28), Indo-Portuguese (5), Indonesian (5), Italian (8), Japanese (61), Kambaata (25), Kendayan (1), Kerewo (1), Kimaragang (3), Kiribati (2), Koiari, Grass (1), Koitabu (4), Kokota (1), Kuman (1), Kuni (1), Kwamera (2), Lelepa (9), Lengo (1), Mae (3), Malay (2), Mambae (8), Meche (2), Melpa (13), Mian (3), Motu (7), Motu, Hiri (16), Mpur (1), Nahavaq (8), Natügu (2), Nobonob (1), Oksapmin (2), Paama (3), Phake (2), Pijin (4), Rapa Nui (20), Samo (2), Samoan (2), Sasak (8), Singpho (5), Sunda (8), Tagalog (3), Terei (9), Tetun (8), Tok Pisin (36), Touo (3), Toura (1), Turung (5), Vurës (7), Wanman (7), Yabem (1), Yagwoia (2)
while the 140 “songs” items are in 70 languages:
Aceh (2), Agta, Dupaninan (1), Ambrym, North (4), Amele (1), Apma (1), Arandai (1), Arapesh, Bumbita (1), Asmat, Central (6), Bahinemo (2), Barai (1), Bilua (1), Bislama (6), Boikin (1), Bosmun (1), Bughotu (2), Cheke Holo (2), Chinese, Hakka (1), Duna (1), Efate, South (1), Enga (7), English (9), Fas (1), Fataleka (1), Fijian (2), Foi (1), Gogodala (1), Ilocano (4), Indo-Portuguese (3), Indonesian (1), Italian (4), Japanese (1), Kambaata (7), Khamyang (1), Koiari, Grass (1), Kuni (1), Kwamera (2), Lavukaleve (1), Mae (2), Mambae (1), Manam (1), Marovo (1), Melpa (4), Mian (2), Moi (retired) (1), Motu (4), Motu, Hiri (4), Mpur (1), Multiple languages (1), Ninde (1), Nobonob (1), Rapa Nui (1), Sam (1), Singpho (1), Sunda (2), Tagalog (1), Tairuma (1), Talise (1), Telefol (1), Terei (8), Tetun (1), Tok Pisin (13), Touo (1), Turung (1), Ukrainian (1), Wahgi (1), Wanman (7), Warapu (1), Wuvulu-Aua (1), Yabem (1),
A check of the DoBeS archive shows 445 “sessions” in its collection that are labelled as “song” (410 are labelled as “songs” — it is unclear if there is an overlap in these two search results). The long list of sessions in the search result mostly gives locations where the songs were recorded but not the languages. It is also clear that the vast bulk of the sessions have yellow or brown icons against them which in the DoBeS system means access to registered users or by request to the depositors only.
In the ELAR online catalogue there are 1043 song files, of which 751 are audio and 261 are video. Of these files, 295 are open for viewing and download to any registered user, while 435 require access permission from the depositor (ELAR defines these as “subscriber” files). There are 76 languages represented in the song files:
Ainu (1), Anmatyerr (Eastern) (4), Asheninka Perene (13), Avatime (Dominant) (11), Avatime (2), Baram (7), Bierebo (1), Bislama (2), Chinese (69), Choguita Rarámuri (1), Classical/Standard Arabic (2), English (46), Ewe (5), French (7), Gija (39), Glavda (1), Goemai (10), Great Andamanese (122), Guam (1), Gurene (114), Gújjolaay Eegimaa (3), Hawaii (1), Hindi (99), Ikakumo (Ondo) (4), Ingrian (4), Jewish Iraqi (2), Ju|’hoan (5), Kaanju (1), Kabardian (1), Kayardild (34), Kibena (Kisovi) (2), Kibena (Nga?veta) (2), Kibena (14), Kosraean (1), Kotiria (2), Kubeo (2), Kubokota (2), Kurtop (1), Kuuku Ya’u (5), Lakandon Maya (9), Langue des Signes Malienne (1), Lockhart River Creole (4), Lower Luga variety (1), Mavea (1), Melaka Portuguese Creole (4), Muslim Iraqi (2), Mwalok (18), Mënik (30), Nar (2), Nepali (7), Northern Arapaho (5), Onge (1), Panoan (11), Paresi (2), Pingelapese (69), Pingjiang (69), Pohnpei (7), Portuguese (1), Reyesano (Maropa) (2), Reyesano (4), Rongga (1), Singpho (Numhpuk) (49), Soikkola variety (3), Solega (30), Spanish (6), Sumi (17), Thaayorre (1), Turung (18), Twi (6), Umpila (6), Unangan (6), Uncunwee (35), Wik-Mungkan (1), Yami (3), Yan-nhaŋu (19), Ye’kwana (2)
Clearly, there is a lot of material in various endangered languages archives that deserves attention and potentially analysis by musicology specialists, as well as by linguists and community members.
Reference
Barwick, Linda. 2005. A musicologist’s wishlist: some issues, practices and practicalities in musical aspects of language documentation. In Peter K. Austin (ed.) Language Documentation and Description, Volume 3, 53-62. London: SOAS.