The Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas *** SSILA BULLETIN *** An Information Service for SSILA Members Editor - Victor Golla (golla@ssila.org) Associate Editor - Scott DeLancey (delancey@uoregon.edu) -->> --Correspondence should be directed to the Editor-- <<-- ___________________________________________________________________________ Number 265: April 23, 2008 ___________________________________________________________________________ 265.1 Correspondence * News from Hawai'i (B. Wilson) 265.2 Yukon Literacy Materials from YNLC 265.3 Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit on Military Code Talkers 265.4 Positions Open * Fellowships in linguistics at MPI-EVA Leipzig 265.5 Upcoming Meetings * Native American Languages in Crisis (Philadelphia, May 2-4) * 2008 Siouan-Caddoan Conference (Joplin, Missouri, June 20-21) * Dene Languages Conference (Cold Lake, Alberta, July 4-6) * ICSNL 43 (North Vancouver, July 25-27) * Language in the Circumpolar Arctic (Umeå, Sweden, Oct. 8-10) 265.6 E-Mail Address Updates --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 265.1 Correspondence --------------------------------------------------------------------------- * News from Hawai'i ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >From Pila Wilson (pila_w@leoki.uhh.hawaii.edu) 15 Apr 2008: Aloha! The news about the Athabascan/Tlingit/Eyak connection to Ket (Bulletin #264.2) is very exciting. Congratulations to you, Victor, and all the others who have worked in Athabascan. But it is also disheartening to hear that so many of the languages that are the witnesses to this relationship are in such dire straits, and especially sad to hear of the recent loss of the last speaker of Eyak. Here in Hawai'i we are working really hard to provide ways to revitalize languages, and have relationships with a number of immersion schools. Enrollments in the schools continue to grow and the number of families where Hawaiian is the first language of babies is increasing. Here is something that might interest other readers of the Bulletin: As part of a one hour program celebrating the revitalization of the Hawaiian language, KGMB news in Honolulu has begun a one minute news feature in Hawaiian produced by the Hawaiian language non-profit 'Aha Punana Leo. The feature provides news of the Hawaiian-speaking community and other indigenous peoples. It is accompanied by subtitles over video of the activities being discussed. From three to five different items are broadcast per week. This is the first time that news in the Hawaiian language has appeared on commercial television in Hawai'i. To see the items broadcast so far, go to: http://kgmb9.com/main/content/blogcategory/41/173/ --Bill Wilson Ka Haka 'Ula O Ke'elikolani (College of Hawaiian Language) University of Hawai'i at Hilo --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 265.2 Yukon Literacy Materials from YNLC --------------------------------------------------------------------------- >From Doug Hitch (dhitch@yukoncollege.yk.ca) 8 Apr 2008: The Yukon Native Language Centre, located in the Commons wing of Yukon College, Ayamdigut Campus, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, is a training and research facility which provides a range of linguistic and educational services to Yukon First Nations and the general public. The YNLC regularly offers literacy courses in Yukon native languages, attended by elders, language teachers, language coordinators and others wishing to learn more about reading and writing their Athapaskan or Tlingit language. Workshop participants concentrate on developing booklets of teaching materials for use in both school-based and adult programs. These typically include things like an alphabet chart, listening exercises, the text for Audio Story Books, place names, and translations. More than 70 literacy session booklets are currently available. Below are the six most recent booklets (all are $10 each). An order form and a complete up-to-date pdf catalog of all YNLC publications can be downloaded from the YNLC website (http://www.ynlc.ca). Tlingit (February 2008). -- Word lists and listening exercises - k and kh, g and gh, x and xh, k' and kh', x' and xh': miscellaneous comparisons and analysis. 34 pages plus 5 pages of color photos. ISBN 1-55242-266-6. Topics in Tlingit Verb System and Orthographies (Released February 2008). By Dr. Jeff Leer and the Yukon Native Language Centre. -- Significantly expanded and revised treatment of material from the Tlingit Literacy Session held in September 2006. Tlingit Orthographies of the 20th Century. Tlingit Verb System: modes, body part incorporates. Noun compounds. Classifiers with verbs of washing, eating, cooking. ISBN: 1-55242-247-X. Kaska (February 2008). -- Kaska in-service. Gah Kí' NédzedeL (Living on Rabbits): listening exercise - t and t'. 10 pages plus 2 pages color photos. ISBN 1-55242-267-4. Northern Tutchone (January 2008). -- White River First Nation Literacy Session. Northern Tutchone alphabet: Camping text: The Lord's Prayer: wordlist - ä: listening exercises - ts and ts', l and L, k and k'. 17 pages plus 2 pages of color photos. ISBN 1-55242-265-8. Hän (December 2007). -- Hän alphabet: translations: verb "to be": clan affiliations: place names: word list - ä and ay: listening exercises - ä and ay, kh and gh, i and ay: Christmas carols - O Kek'it Tsul Bethlehem, Huron Carol, Tät Tsenahdän, Ch'elìng 8. 25 pages plus 5 pages of color photos. ISBN 1-55242-263-1. Upper Tanana (November 2007). -- Camping book: parts of fish: working with fish: sentences about fish: illustration of fish trap (Patrick Johnny). 22 pages plus 3 pages of color photos. ISBN 1-55242-261-5. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 265.3 Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit on Military Code Talkers --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Native Words, Native Warriors," an exhibit developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in collaboration with the National Museum of the American Indian, is now touring the country. The current host institution -- the only one in Southern California -- is the Planes of Fame Air Museum at Chino Airport, where the exhibit will be on display through July 6. "Native Words, Native Warriors" features 15 large-scale banners that tell the remarkable story of soldiers from more than a dozen tribes who used their native languages as "unbreakable codes" during both the First and Second World Wars. The most extensive use of "code talkers" was during World War II, when soldiers from the Comanche, Meskwaki, Sioux, Crow, Hopi and Cree nations, among others, took part in the effort. The best known of these projects was the Navajo Code Talker Program, established by the U.S. Marine Corps in September 1942. In 1999, the U.S. Army presented the last surviving Comanche code talker with the Knowlton Award for outstanding intelligence work, and in 2001, President Bush presented the Congressional Gold Medal to four of the five living veterans of the original 29 Navajo code talkers. Using oral histories taken from the veterans themselves, "Native Words" celebrates and honors this important but little reported aspect of American military history. The Planes of Fame Air Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For directions and further information, visit: http://www.planesoffame.org Other venues for the exhibit during 2008 and 2009 will include: * Salmon Ruins Museum and Research Library, Bloomfield, NM (7/26/08 to 10/5/08) * Frontiers of Flight Museum, Dallas, TX (10/25/08 to 1/4/09) * Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, Clewiston, FL (4/25/09 to 7/5/09) * Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, Kennesaw, GA (7/25/09 to 10/4/09) * Spartanburg County Public Library, Spartanburg, SC (10/24/09 to 1/3/10) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 265.4 Positions Open --------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Fellowships in linguistics (doctoral & postdoctoral) at MPI-EVA Leipzig ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >From Martin Haspelmath (haspelmath@eva.mpg.de) 22 Apr 2008: The Department of Linguistics of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (Leipzig) seeks candidates for a two-year doctoral fellowship in linguistics (with the possibility of two 6-month extensions) and/or a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in linguistics (also with the possibility of two 6-month extensions). The candidates should be able to make contributions to the department's areas of research. The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology studies human diversity and human origins in a multidisciplinary perspective. The contribution of linguistics to this goal lies in the study of the history and prehistory of languages (and peoples) around the world (especially non-European languages), as well as the current diversity of human languages (linguistic fieldwork on little-described and endangered languages and language typology). The Department of Linguistics collaborates with the Department of Evolutionary Genetics and the Junior research Group on Comparative Population Linguistics to compare the evidence from linguistics and genetics for the prehistory of human populations. The largest recent and current collaborative projects of the Department of Linguistics are the World Atlas of Language Structures (http://wals.info/) and Loanword Typology. More information on these and other projects is available on the institute's website (see below). Doctoral fellows should already have an MA in Linguistics or an equivalent qualification, and be either registered or qualified to register in a recognized doctoral program at a university or equivalent degree-awarding institution. Doctoral fellows have the possibility of obtaining their doctoral degree through the University of Leipzig (http:/www.uni-leipzig.de). Postdoctoral fellows are expected to come with a flexible research agenda that fits into the department's current foci. They should be ready to contribute to collaborative projects, and they will have the opportunity to propose collaborative projects themselves. Regular participation in the department's talks, seminars and workshops is expected. Except for approved absences (e.g. fieldwork, conferences, vacation), the place of work is Leipzig. The fellowships are available from 1 October 2008, but a later starting date may be negotiated. Postdoctoral fellows must have their PhD in hand before the starting date. There are no teaching obligations, but the opportunity for teaching in the linguistics program of the University of Leipzig exists. Good knowledge of English is required. Applicants are requested to send a C.V., statement of research interests, two letters of recommendation, and a sample of written work on a relevant topic to: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Personnel Administration Prof. Dr. Bernard Comrie - Doctoral/Postdoctoral fellow position Deutscher Platz 6 D-04103 Leipzig, Germany or by e-mail to: comrie@eva.mpg.de (in which case supplementary materials available only in hard copy should be sent to the above mailing address). e-mail: comrie@eva.mpg.de fax: +49 341 35 50 333 institute web site: http://www.eva.mpg.de Deadline for receipt of applications: 17 May 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 265.5 Upcoming Meetings --------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Native American Languages in Crisis (Philadelphia, May 2-4) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >From Gene Buckley (gene@babel.ling.upenn.edu) 15 Apr 2008: A conference on "Native American Languages in Crisis: Exploring the Interface between Academia, Technology and Smaller Native Language Communities" will be held on May 2-4, 2008, at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Language loss is arguably the most pressing issue faced by contemporary Native nations within the present borders of the United States. This conference will provide a special, though not exclusive, emphasis on smaller Native language communities as it brings together a wide range of scholars and community language activists for analysis and open discussion of the impacts and trade-offs related to technology and academia in Native language revitalization work. Conference presentations will be built on prepared papers and lead to roundtable discussions, engaging both presenters and audience. Papers and proceedings of the conference are to be published in order to help clarify how the digital resources from technology and the intellectual resources from academia can help revitalize Native languages. The conference schedule is available online at: http://linguistlist.org/callconf/browse-conf-action.cfm?ConfID=67660 For more information, contact Bob Preucel at . * 2008 Siouan-Caddoan Conference (Joplin, Missouri, June 20-21) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >From Jill Greer (Greer-J@MSSU.EDU) 9 Apr 2008: The Annual Siouan-Caddoan Conference will be held on June 20-21, 2008, at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri. Abstracts are welcome on all topics related to these language families. Please send abstracts to Jill Greer at: Department of Social Science, MSSU, 3950 E. Newman Road, Joplin, MO 64801 or to greer-j@mssu.edu. Deadline for abstracts is May 12, but could be extended for special circumstances. * 2008 Dene Languages Conference (Cold Lake, Alberta, July 4-6) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >From Sally Rice (sally.rice@ualberta.ca) 10 Apr 2008: The 2008 Dene Languages Conference will be held on the weekend of July 4-6, in Cold Lake, Alberta, hosted by the Cold Lake First Nation. The theme is "Language and the Arts" and the meeting will be preceded by the Dene Arts Festival on July 3. Proposals for papers (30 minutes) or group presentations (60 minutes) should be submitted by Friday, 23 May 2008. They can be on any topic relating to Dene/Athapaskan languages, including: * language revitalization * language documentation and analysis * language teaching, learning, and acquisition * academic and community collaborations * community language and culture programs * language and technology * language materials development * Dene Indigenous knowledge and, especially, * language and the arts Proposals should include: * title and abstract (no more than one page) * type of presentation (30 minutes or 60 minutes) * name and affiliation of presenter(s) * contact information (including phone/fax numbers, e-mail and mailing addresses) for lead presenter * any special presentation equipment required (a digital projector and loud speakers will be provided) Please submit your abstract in .pdf format if your text includes special fonts. Presentations should be aimed at a general audience. There will be a single session for the 2-day conference. By e-mail, please submit proposals to: dene2008@ualberta.ca By regular mail, please submit proposals to: 2008 Dene Languages Conference Department of Linguistics 4-34 Assiniboia Hall University of Alberta Edmonton, AB T6G 2E7 CANADA The 1-day Dene Arts Festival on Thursday, 3 July, requires no special proposal. If you or your group wish to perform or display materials, crafts, or artifacts, please notify Valerie Wood at or 780-726-2887 (home) or 780-726-7667 (work). Cold Lake First Nation is the Dene host community and conference site for the 2008 Dene Languages Conference. Information on the exact location of the conference (including a map) will be made available closer to the conference date. Cold Lake is situated in northeastern Alberta approximately 300 km (180 miles) or 3 hours by car from Edmonton. The city of Cold Lake is minutes away from the conference site and offers a variety of conveniences and amenities. For further information, including accommodations, transportation, and conference registration fees, contact Valerie Wood, Conference Coordinator, by e-mail (vjwood@mcsnet.ca) or phone (780-726-2887 [h], 780-726-7667 [w]). * ICSNL 43 (North Vancouver, July 25-27) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >From Dwight Gardiner (gardiner@alumni.sfu.ca) 8 Apr 2008: The 43rd International Conference on Salish and Neighboring Languages will be hosted by Capilano College, North Vancouver, BC, July 25-27, 2008. The conference will be co-hosted by the Squamish Nation. Papers on all aspects of the study, preservation, and teaching of Salish and neighboring languages are welcome. Details, including registration procedure, will be posted in mid-May at http://www.capcollege.bc.ca/programs/linguistics/Home.html. For inclusion in the program, please send a 200-300 word abstract as a PDF attached to an e-mail message. Put at the top of the abstract the name of the author, affiliation, and e-mail address. Include in the e-mail the author's: snail mail address and phone number. Deadline for receipt of abstracts is June 15, 2008. The program will be announced on July 1, 2008. Unlike previous years, this year's ICSNL papers will be published AFTER the conference. Details regarding the submission of papers to UBCWPL will be available at the conference. The deadline will be mid-September. --Dwight Gardiner Capilano College gardiner@alumni.sfu.ca * Session on language in the Circumpolar Arctic (Umeå, Sweden, Oct. 8-10) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >From Alexander King (a.king@abdn.ac.uk) 18 Apr 2008: I am organizing a session on language shift and revival/maintenance in the North for the conference on "Human Dimensions in the Circumpolar Arctic" that is being planned for Umeå, Sweden, 8-10 October 2008. Titled "Arctic Languages, Shift & Revival: the cultural and political dimensions of speaking a language", the panel will address the twin topics of language shift and endangerment on the one hand, and language revival and maintenance on the other. The extinction of languages spoken around the world is proceeding at an alarming pace, and the North is no different in this regard. Northern linguistic ecology has the familiar pattern of a handful of political dominant, national languages (e.g., English, Russian, Swedish, etc.) expanding at the expense of languages spoken by small groups, which are typically classed as indigenous peoples. The specific mechanisms of language shift, whereby people stop speaking their heritage language and take up (and their children grow up speaking) a politically dominant language instead, are complex and worthy of further investigation. Equally complex are the problems facing communities that are interested in maintaining or reviving their heritage language. Papers will confront questions on these two topics, highlighting the interconnection of political, social, economic and cultural forces causing and caused by the language choices of individuals and communities. If you are interested in participating, please e-mail me (Alex King ) with a preliminary abstract by May 1. I will, of course, consider late submissions, given the tardiness of this call, but we cannot wait too long. The conference will be held at Umeå University, located in the north of Sweden, about 700 km north of Stockholm. It will pay particular attention to human life and conditions in the circumpolar Arctic in the past, present and future. Questions that will be addressed are how the situation in the North has been depicted in science, art and literature and how the possibilities for various kinds of social and economic development have been understood at various times. Other questions are how climate, ecology and different types of resource use have influenced conditions for life in the North and the role of national and inter- national politics for northern developments and conditions. Policy questions concerning the Arctic region will also be discussed during the conference. Further information on the conference may be found on the Conference Website: http://www.umea-congress.se/polar2008.html --Alex King Aberdeen University Scotland --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 265.6 E-Mail Address Updates --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following additions or changes have been made to the SSILA e-mail list since the last Bulletin. ("At" has been substituted for "@" to discourage the harvesting of addresses by spammers.) Rose, Françoise ............. francoise.rose at univ-lyon2.fr Watanabe, Honoré ............ honore at aa.tufs.ac.jp When your e-mail address changes, please notify us (golla@ssila.org). ************************************************************************** THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF THE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES OF THE AMERICAS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ivy Doak, Executive Secretary P. O. Box 1295 Denton, Texas 76202 Victor Golla, Editor P. O. Box 555 Arcata, California 95518-0555 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ tel: 707/826-4324 - e-mail: golla@ssila.org Website: http://www.ssila.org ************************************************************************** The SSILA Bulletin is distributed electronically to all members of SSILA. Non-members may subscribe free of charge by sending their e-mail address to the editor (golla@ssila.org). SSILA also publishes a quarterly hard-copy Newsletter that contains book reviews, notices of journal articles and recent dissertations, and other news and commentary. The Newsletter and other publications of the Society are distributed only to members or to institutional subscribers. SSILA welcomes applications for membership from anyone interested in the scholarly study of the languages of the native peoples of North, Central, and South America. Dues for 2008 are $20 (US or Canadian) and may be paid in advance at the 2008 rate. Checks or money orders should be made payable to "SSILA" and sent to: SSILA, P.O. Box 1295, Denton, TX 76202. For further information, visit the SSILA website (http://www.ssila.org). **************************************************************************