Ncient tamil script carved on stone, representing india's rich linguistic heritage meeting ai capabilities like notebooklm Ncient tamil script carved on stone, representing india's rich linguistic heritage meeting ai capabilities like notebooklm

Indian Languages and NotebookLM

NotebookLM has the potential to integrate India’s diverse languages by supporting a multitude of scripts and oral languages, bridging gaps in multilingual accessibility.

NotebookLM supports all Indian languages and Nepali that have a script or can be written in a script such as Devanagari or Latin. These languages are supported both as source languages for input documents, web links, or YouTube videos called Sources , as well as for chat-based interactions. Users can input notes, documents, or queries in these languages, and NotebookLM will process, understand, and generate responses in English.

Currently, auto-generated notes and audio summaries in Podcast style are available only in English. However, users can manually input these notes into the chat and prompt NotebookLM to generate translations into any supported language, including English.

NotebookLM also allows seamless translation directly within the interface:

  • From one Indian language to another: For example, translating from Hindi to Tamil.
  • Between English and other languages: For instance, translating summaries or study guides from English to Bengali or vice versa.

In some cases, direct response in the source language limited to the Sources (documents, notes etc.) provided in the chat is possible. Direct translation between mainstream languages is possible with high accuracy.

When translating a lesser-known, supported language is involved, the AI might require you to first translate into English.

There is a lack of reliable information about the features of NotebookLM, as the documentation on NotebookLM remains insufficient. Neither Google nor the NotebookLM team has officially announced the availability of these languages as source or chat languages. However, at Unlocking NotebookLM, we have independently verified this through extensive testing.

These features are not limited to Indian languages. NotebookLM supports over 200 languages, including other South Asian languages like Bhutanese (Dzongkha) and Myanmarese (Burmese), as well as global languages such as German, Portuguese, Tagalog, and Zulu. This extensive language support makes NotebookLM a powerful tool for multilingual communication, research, and collaboration worldwide.

Languages of India with Established Scripts, Supportedbby NotebookLM

List of languages spoken in India that have established writing systems:

  1. Assamese – Script: অসমীয়া
  2. Balti – Script: بلتی
  3. Bangla (India) – Script: বাংলা
  4. Bodo – Script: बड़ो
  5. Bhojpuri – Script: भोजपुरी
  6. Dogri – Script: डोगरी
  7. Garo – Written in Latin script
  8. Gojri – Script: گوجری
  9. Gujarati – Script: ગુજરાતી
  10. Hindi – Script: हिन्दी
  11. Hindi (Latin) – Written in Latin script
  12. Haryanvi – Script: हरियाणवी
  13. Kannada – Script: ಕನ್ನಡ
  14. Kashmiri – Script: कश्मीरी / کٲشُر
  15. Khasi – Written in Latin script
  16. Konkani – Script: कोंकणी
  17. Ladakhi – Script: ལ་དྭགས་སྐད་
  18. Maithili – Script: मैथिली
  19. Malayalam – Script: മലയാളം
  20. Manipuri (Meitei) – Script: মৈতৈলোন্ / ꯃꯩꯇꯩꯂꯣꯟ
  21. Marathi – Script: मराठी
  22. Mizo – Written in Latin script
  23. Nepali – Script: नेपाली
  24. Odia – Script: ଓଡ଼ିଆ
  25. Pahari – Script: पहाड़ी
  26. Punjabi – Script: ਪੰਜਾਬੀ / پنجابی
  27. Sanskrit – Script: संस्कृतम्
  28. Sindhi – Script: सिन्धी / سنڌي
  29. Tamil – Script: தமிழ்
  30. Telugu – Script: తెలుగు
  31. Tripuri (Kokborok) – Written in Bengali and Latin scripts
  32. Urdu – Script: اردو

NotebookLM and Languages Without Scripts in India

India is home to a vast linguistic diversity, with hundreds of languages and dialects spoken across the country. While many Indian languages have well-defined scripts, some, especially tribal and oral languages, remain without a formalized written form. Currently, NotebookLM is designed to work with languages that have a script, as its primary functionality relies on processing text input. This naturally limits its applicability to unwritten languages, which play a significant role in India’s cultural and linguistic heritage.

However, as NotebookLM evolves, Google may address this gap by introducing features tailored for such languages. Advanced speech-to-text technology, for example, could transcribe oral languages into text, enabling NotebookLM to process these languages while also contributing to their preservation—particularly for endangered tribal languages.

Another possibility is the integration of transliteration tools. Many Indian languages, even those with scripts, are often written in Romanized form on digital platforms. Extending NotebookLM’s capability to handle such transliterations could make it more accessible to a wider audience, bridging the gap for unwritten languages or those commonly communicated in non-native scripts.

If Google incorporates these features, NotebookLM could become a vital tool for India, where multilingualism is deeply ingrained. It could support linguistic preservation, enhance educational initiatives, and facilitate cross-lingual communication, reflecting the country’s diversity while ensuring inclusivity in the digital age.

Update/Disclaimer

Disclaimer: During repeated tests conducted after confirming the availability of certain features, we observed that some language functionalities, particularly inter-language translation, were disabled, possibly to conserve resources or optimize performance. This may affect the availability of some features we initially verified. However, as of 27 November 2024, all mainstream languages support direct translation with one another, while less common languages can be translated into English first and then converted to another obscure language.

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