SIL International

SIL International

"Founded over 70 years ago, SIL International is a faith-based organization that studies, documents, and assists in developing the world’s lesser-known languages. SIL’s staff shares a Christian commitment to service, academic excellence, and professional engagement through literacy, linguistics, translation, and other academic disciplines. SIL makes its services available to all without regard to religious belief, political ideology, gender, race, or ethnic background.

"SIL (initially known as the Summer Institute of Linguistics) has grown from a small summer linguistics training program with two students in 1934 to a staff of over 5,000 coming from over 60 countries. SIL’s linguistic investigation exceeds 1,800 languages spoken by over 1.2 billion people in more than 70 countries...

"Resources for SIL’s work are provided primarily by affiliated organizations in various parts of the world. Major contributors include affiliated member organizations of Wycliffe International, which have a goal of promoting the translation of Christian Scriptures into the world’s languages where appropriate. Grants from private corporations and foundations as well as funding from various government agencies have assisted SIL in its literacy and other related projects. In addition, most SIL workers develop individual funding resources for particular projects and personal support."

John R. Watters, Ph.D. was Executive Director from 2000-2007, and his replacement (in January 2008) was Fredrick A. Boswell.

Directors (2007)
Accessed December 2008:


 * David Bosma - Finance Coordinator, SIL Pacific Area
 * D. Richard Brown - International Translation Consultant, SIL
 * Marco A. Herrera - Chief Administrator of the Global Scripture Fund, American Bible Society
 * Michel Kenmogne - Director, Cameroon Association for Bible Translation & Literacy
 * Grant I. Lovejoy - Director of Orality Strategies, International Mission Board
 * Stephen A. Marlett - Training Coordinator, SIL Americas Area
 * Carolyn P. Miller - President, SIL International
 * David A. Ross - President, Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics
 * George F. Shultz - Director, SIL Cameroon
 * Mark H. Taber - Director, SIL Indonesia
 * Barbara L. Trudell - Director of Academic Affairs, SIL Africa Area

Affiliated Organizations
Accessed December 2008:


 * Canada Institute of Linguistics, Langley, British Columbia, Canada, www.canil.ca
 * Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics, Dallas, Texas, USA, www.gial.edu
 * International Museum of Cultures, Inc., Dallas, Texas, USA, www.internationalmuseumofcultures.org
 * JAARS, Inc., Waxhaw, North Carolina, USA, www.jaars.org
 * Wycliffe International, Inc., Dallas, Texas, USA, www.wycliffe.net

Articles

 * David Stoll, "The Summer Institute of Linguistics and Indigenous Movements", Latin American Perspectives, 1982; 9; 84.

Books

 * David Stoll, Fishers of Men or Founders of Empire?, 1983.

Contact

 * Web: http://www.sil.org

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * J. Brady Anderson
 * Nate Jones, Staff
 * Alan MacDonald