Figure 2. Example of a data card: For dialect alternation. When writing the words on the board, use separate columns labeled for each dialect, and make the
lines for the column of the most common dialect with a different color. Only write the words of other dialects when they differ from this most common dialect.
All morphology and syntax can be collected as for other languages, except that you make a separate column on the board for the grammar of each dialect, using a different frame and set of representative
words for each dialect.
3.5.2 Isolating languages
When working with an isolating language that has little or no bound morphemes, you will need to spend a significant amount of time on syntax, and especially the syntax of common particles which may have
various functions. You can treat these as other morphemes in the language by first marking them in the texts. And drawing from the texts, you should also make a list on the board showing all types of
constructions where each of these particles is found. As participants read the examples, mark tone in another color. For each construction, propose and write a description of its function. If you suspect there
are functions or constructions of some of the particles not represented in the texts, try rearranging the word order of clauses with these particles if you have observed that word order changes in the
language until you have confirmed or rejected all reasonable possibilities. Also try using two or more of the particles next to each other in various combinations if you have observed that certain particles have
a different function when next to each other than each alone until you have exhausted all reasonable possibilities. Be sure to mark tone of each acceptable construction. Then try to determine the meaning
and function of each. If you finish all the best practices steps for the first RGC workshop before the end of the two weeks, continue with the steps listed for the second RGC workshop.
3.5.3 Morphologically rich languages
When working with a language having an over abundance of bound morphemes that have complicated morphophonological processes or unpredictable allomorphs, you will want to spend as much time as
possible documenting these sound changes. After carefully checking consonants, vowels and tone in a sufficient number of roots at least 400 singular and plural nouns, and 150 verbs, use most of the
remaining workshop sessions to elicit the morphology—with representative nouns and verbs in frames. Deciding how to spell the sound changes, as well as how to divide words involved with these
morphemes, is of high importance in establishing an effective writing system. So, as tiring as it might be to plow through endless morphology, you must do it in order to faithfully serve the language group.
But keep in mind there is no penalty or shame in not finishing all the best practice steps for the first RGC workshop in two weeks. For some languages, this is simply impossible. When working with a
language with extensive morphology, try to encourage donors to allow three to four weeks or to have a singular
plural dialect 1 abbreviation
singular dialect 2 abbreviation
singular plural
dialect 3 abbreviation
plural dialect 5 abbreviation
gloss
second two-week RGC workshop a few weeks following the first, so that everyone gets a rest before continuing. You can only cover the amount of grammar that you can cover in the allotted time. There is
no need to kill yourself or the participants in your attempts to meet the workshop goals. Goals are to spur us on, not to enslave or bury us. Whatever grammar is not covered in the first workshop can wait
for another workshop. That being said, it is your responsibility to carefully prioritize which grammar you will cover in the allotted time. Until the writing system is established, you must always be carefully
planning grammar sessions that will be the most helpful to establish that writing system, and most often this involves sound changes at morpheme boundaries.
3.6 Other specific instruction
