Last updated: June 4, 2025

The Karen Dictionary, initiated by the Karen National Union (KNU), is a transformative effort to preserve and modernize the Karen language. By leveraging technology, it bridges cultural and generational divides, providing a vital resource for Karen communities and global audiences. It reflects the Karen people's dedication to cultural preservation, education, and community empowerment.

Now featuring over 39,665 headwords across multiple dialects, and continually expanding.

Objectives

• Documenting and preserving the Karen language for future generations.
• Making the language accessible globally through modern technology.
• Supporting language learning and cultural awareness with innovative tools.

Appreciation

The development of The Karen Dictionary has been made possible through the collaboration, dedication, and invaluable contributions of individuals and organizations:

• KNU Leaders for visionary guidance and leadership.
• KECD, KTWG, and KECS for ongoing guidance and leadership.
• Foundational works by earlier publishers, linguists, and scholars, especially the Anglo-Karen Dictionary.
• IT Teams and Developers for digitizing and modernizing the data.
• Technical teams and linguists who standardized and converted data into Unicode for modern platforms.
• Youth Volunteers for their energy, passion, and innovation.
• Volunteer Youth who performed data entry for the dictionary.

Key Features

• Supports English-to-Karen and Karen-to-English translations with contextual accuracy.
• Pwo Karen language support.
• Karen-to-Karen in-language definitions and thesaurus for deep semantic exploration.
• Grammar guides, categorized word lists, and pronunciation aids.
• Custom on-screen keyboards and voice input for ease of use.
• User feedback mechanism to suggest updates, keeping entries current.

Available Platforms

• Web: Browser-based access with responsive design.
• Mobile: Android and iOS apps with offline capability.
• Desktop: Windows and Mac applications for comprehensive use.

Future Steps

• Expand to include regional dialects, new terminologies, and cultural references.
• Integrate into educational curricula through partnerships with schools and universities.
• Collaborate with international linguistic and cultural organizations.
• Enhance with AI-powered translation, gamified learning, and multimedia content.
• Optimize for multilingual users and ensure accessibility for visually impaired individuals.