I think it's important to be very explicit in demarcating the authority, the force, and the role of a linguists in Indian Country. Before assuming that linguits and various consultants can answer all questions related to language (commerce, economy, history, public opinion), it's important to understand their role in answering the big questions. I think everyone is a little uncertain of where to go from here? What even happened to this language? The linguists asks questions like, "How many people speak it." The community should ask the complimentary question, "Why didn't you ever learn from your grandma this language?" The Applied Linguistics Journal as an excellent work on understanding the Auto-biographical Narrative.
In terms of placing this documentation grant in focus-we cannot rely merely on texual interpretation of previous linguists, nor wait for the action of external consultants. That helps understand the raw phonetics but excludes the most important element: the people.
It's perfectly sensible to want to fill the ambiguities,and gaps in knowledge (and manpower) with any helping support available, from Chico or elsewhere. I think it's worth mentioning that we are serving a role to the community. And we need to hear their voice.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Principal Investigators
Yes, Dr. Sara Trechter. She is also a North American indigenous languages expert, but her specific area is the midwest. She expressed an interest in working on Concow. She's read Ultan's disertation and knows what I'm doing at the Rancheria. Her email is strechter@csuchico.edu and her phone number is 898-5447. Her office hours are MW 12 to 1:40 and her office is #135 in Siskyou Hall (the stubby little building with the giant satelitte dish behind the Library). She may no respond immediately as our next classes will be next Wednesday due to the holiday Monday, but they often answer email quickly. I'd already mentioned you might want to contact her. I'm in her Phonology class.
I will copy the video shortly, I've had an interesting last cuple of days, so am a bit behind.
I went to the Senior Nutrition Center today but missed Vergil Logan. Apparently he's been ill for the last week, so I'm trying to catch him at home by phone first.
The Language question as to whether Concow and Mountain Maidu are in fact separate languages got an interesting responce from Dr Trechter after class today. She noted that the perception of them as separate languages is enough to make one see them that way. After all, just as we still call an Irish Brouge English although it isn't by "linguistic rules" doesn't make it still English to the speaker -- and the reverse applies as well. Besides, as I noted too, -- maybe seeing them as two languages rather than two dialects of one will encourage interest and people will save both. Southern Maidu is CLEARLY separate tho.
About the Nisean published work, it was by Andrew Eatough and published through the University of California Publications in Linguistics, Volume 132, published in 1967 and titled: Central Hill Nisenan Texts with Grammatical Sketch. It was dedicated to Lizzie Enos, and important Niseenan speaking consultant and to RIchard Alan Smith -- one of Bill Shipley's students who did the original study and the disertation on Nisenan, but died before publishing his work. So apparently Eatough did it.
My supervising professor, Dr David Eaton, is very excited that I can be of assistance in your work on the grant and wants me to keep him informed. He also mentioned that if I thought the work was going a little slow on organizing materials we might bring in another intern who was a faster typist than me (I'm far too well known for my slow typing but excellent analysis) so I can concentrate on the actual material organization an assimilation into a usable unit. There are few intership opportunities for cultural anthropology, and several students sometimes need intership units for professional certificates. Good for them, good for the work. If you think this is a good idea, that is. No one is asking yet, but a lot of students are interested in what I'm working on. He also wanted us to work up a list of expectations for this semesters work, as we considered on Tuesday. Something short, he said. BTW, you'll really like him, he's a soft spoken, but incredibly sweet man with one of the sharpest minds I've ever seen, and he's in the company of many other sharp minds who say the same about him. Sara is also terrific, and funny to boot. I have found them both approachable and very easy to work with, as they are helpful whenever possible and just plain nice. Eaton's specialty is Sub-Saharan Africa, and he is fluent in Swahili.
If you can't tell, I'm happy to be back in class! :D The summer was long and difficult.
See you this morning!
Annette
I will copy the video shortly, I've had an interesting last cuple of days, so am a bit behind.
I went to the Senior Nutrition Center today but missed Vergil Logan. Apparently he's been ill for the last week, so I'm trying to catch him at home by phone first.
The Language question as to whether Concow and Mountain Maidu are in fact separate languages got an interesting responce from Dr Trechter after class today. She noted that the perception of them as separate languages is enough to make one see them that way. After all, just as we still call an Irish Brouge English although it isn't by "linguistic rules" doesn't make it still English to the speaker -- and the reverse applies as well. Besides, as I noted too, -- maybe seeing them as two languages rather than two dialects of one will encourage interest and people will save both. Southern Maidu is CLEARLY separate tho.
About the Nisean published work, it was by Andrew Eatough and published through the University of California Publications in Linguistics, Volume 132, published in 1967 and titled: Central Hill Nisenan Texts with Grammatical Sketch. It was dedicated to Lizzie Enos, and important Niseenan speaking consultant and to RIchard Alan Smith -- one of Bill Shipley's students who did the original study and the disertation on Nisenan, but died before publishing his work. So apparently Eatough did it.
My supervising professor, Dr David Eaton, is very excited that I can be of assistance in your work on the grant and wants me to keep him informed. He also mentioned that if I thought the work was going a little slow on organizing materials we might bring in another intern who was a faster typist than me (I'm far too well known for my slow typing but excellent analysis) so I can concentrate on the actual material organization an assimilation into a usable unit. There are few intership opportunities for cultural anthropology, and several students sometimes need intership units for professional certificates. Good for them, good for the work. If you think this is a good idea, that is. No one is asking yet, but a lot of students are interested in what I'm working on. He also wanted us to work up a list of expectations for this semesters work, as we considered on Tuesday. Something short, he said. BTW, you'll really like him, he's a soft spoken, but incredibly sweet man with one of the sharpest minds I've ever seen, and he's in the company of many other sharp minds who say the same about him. Sara is also terrific, and funny to boot. I have found them both approachable and very easy to work with, as they are helpful whenever possible and just plain nice. Eaton's specialty is Sub-Saharan Africa, and he is fluent in Swahili.
If you can't tell, I'm happy to be back in class! :D The summer was long and difficult.
See you this morning!
Annette
Introduction
Ella Thurgood is also very good, I had a class from her and two from her husband. She is someone with a tremendous amount of insight as well. If she is willing to help, this will be a happenin' thing! Her husband, Graham is actually on the International Endangered Languages Board, and is good at giving practical advice on how to get these grants. We had a very productive discussion last semester about the process. You can mention me to both of them, they know me (and even still like me:D).
Are you referring to Coco? Regardless of whether I'm right on this, this is a VERY good thing, and Coco is a great person. This all seems to be good news!
Who is Joel's relative? The more teachers the better...
ABOUT THE INTRO:
1 I suggest you include video recording in your discription of formats, as I know most of my direct consultant fieldwork, of which copies will be made immediately for archive at the Rancheria, will be done with my own digital video camera. It is a 3ccd chip camera with separate audio in for enhanced audio quality -- this way we can get metalanguage (non-verbal) as well as spoken language cues and understanding. It should really help the cause and it is the format I'm most used to working in. It is transcribable, too, just like any other digital audio recording!
2. Clarify the Northeatern Maidu material is also being digitized by stateing that it is to be used in particular to bolster the understanding of the similaities and differences these two possess as NE Maidu is the language most simlar to Concow in every way, and possesses much more scholarly attention that is transferrable to learners of Concow as well.
3. Overall, I think this is excellent as it sits, but I hope my suggestions are a help.
Annette
Are you referring to Coco? Regardless of whether I'm right on this, this is a VERY good thing, and Coco is a great person. This all seems to be good news!
Who is Joel's relative? The more teachers the better...
ABOUT THE INTRO:
1 I suggest you include video recording in your discription of formats, as I know most of my direct consultant fieldwork, of which copies will be made immediately for archive at the Rancheria, will be done with my own digital video camera. It is a 3ccd chip camera with separate audio in for enhanced audio quality -- this way we can get metalanguage (non-verbal) as well as spoken language cues and understanding. It should really help the cause and it is the format I'm most used to working in. It is transcribable, too, just like any other digital audio recording!
2. Clarify the Northeatern Maidu material is also being digitized by stateing that it is to be used in particular to bolster the understanding of the similaities and differences these two possess as NE Maidu is the language most simlar to Concow in every way, and possesses much more scholarly attention that is transferrable to learners of Concow as well.
3. Overall, I think this is excellent as it sits, but I hope my suggestions are a help.
Annette
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Langauge Revitalization: An Overview, L. Hinton
Step 1: Which resources are available on the language? What are the attitudes of speakers and non-speakers toward language revitalization? What are realistic goals for language revitalization in this community?
Step 2: If the language has no speakers: Use available materials to reconstruct the language and develop language pedagogy.
Step 3. If the language has only elderly speakers: Document the language of the elderly speakers. (This may also take place at the same time as other steps.)
Step 4: Develop a second-language learning program for adults. These professional-age and parent-age adult second-language learners will be important leaders in later steps.
Step 5. Redevelop or enhance cultural practices that support and encourage use of the endangered language at home and in public by first-and second-language speakers.
Step 6. Develop intensive second-langage programs for children, preferaby with a component in the schools. When possible, use the endangered langauge as the langauge of instruction.
Step 7. Use the language at home as the primary language of communication, so that it becomes the first language of young children. Develop classes and support groups for parents to assist them in the transition.
Step 8. Expand the use of the indigenous language into broader local domains, including community government, media, local commerce, and so on.
Step 9. Where possible, expand the language domains outside of the local community and into the broader population to promote the language as one of the wider communication, regional or national government, and so on.
Step 2: If the language has no speakers: Use available materials to reconstruct the language and develop language pedagogy.
Step 3. If the language has only elderly speakers: Document the language of the elderly speakers. (This may also take place at the same time as other steps.)
Step 4: Develop a second-language learning program for adults. These professional-age and parent-age adult second-language learners will be important leaders in later steps.
Step 5. Redevelop or enhance cultural practices that support and encourage use of the endangered language at home and in public by first-and second-language speakers.
Step 6. Develop intensive second-langage programs for children, preferaby with a component in the schools. When possible, use the endangered langauge as the langauge of instruction.
Step 7. Use the language at home as the primary language of communication, so that it becomes the first language of young children. Develop classes and support groups for parents to assist them in the transition.
Step 8. Expand the use of the indigenous language into broader local domains, including community government, media, local commerce, and so on.
Step 9. Where possible, expand the language domains outside of the local community and into the broader population to promote the language as one of the wider communication, regional or national government, and so on.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Notice about Intellectual Merit
Subject: Merit Review Criteria
Merit review is a critical component of the National Science Foundation’s decision-making process for funding research and education projects. Two years ago, NSF announced changes in its merit review criteria (Important Notice No. 121, New Criteria for NSF Proposals, July 10, 1997). The changes reflected extensive analysis and discussion, with community input. Recommendations were considered to simplify the merit review criteria and harmonize them with the NSF strategic plan, in order to weigh a proposal’s technical merit, creativity, educational impact and its potential benefits to society. This process resulted in the two criteria now in effect, which address the intellectual merit of the proposed activity and its broader impacts.
We want to ensure that the criterion relating to broader impacts is considered and addressed in the preparation and review of proposals submitted to NSF. We encourage you to emphasize within your organization the importance of both criteria -- to principal investigators who are developing and submitting proposals as well as to those who may serve as proposal reviewers. At the same time, we will continue to strengthen NSF’s internal processes to ensure that both criteria are appropriately addressed when making funding decisions.
Through use of rigorous, competitive merit review, NSF maintains high standards of excellence and accountability. It enables investments in projects that couple the best ideas from the most capable researchers and educators, with the advancement of discovery and learning and the enrichment of science and engineering resources. The full text of the two merit review criteria and supporting explanations, from the upcoming revision to the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 00-2), are provided in the attachment. We appreciate your assistance in conveying the importance of both intellectual merit and broader impacts of research and education activities.
Rita R. Colwell
Director
Intellectual Merit Focus
Intellectual Merit:
i. How good and important is the idea? Dialect differences between original field work was
ii. Advance knowledge and understanding in own field and across fields?
iii. Creative and original?
iv. Significant?
v. How likely is project to succeed?
vi. Qualification of proposers to conduct project?
vii. How well-conceived and well-organized is the proposed activity?
viii. Access to sufficient resources?
This section should describe:
i.the scientific significance of the work:
ii. relationship including its relationship to other current research, and the design of the project in sufficient detail
to permit evaluation.
iii. It should also present and interpret progress to date if the research is already underway.
Essential Books, Self-Directed Websites
Hey Julie,
I hope the best health to everyone at Mooretown. I am writing down all my actions on this website. Prior to our phone call last week, I had contacted linguist-activist "Wayne" from the M.I.T. graduate program in advanced linguistics. As you may or may not recall, I have never held the highest esteem for using cell phones, but this personal choice has greatly limited my options in regard to this project. In any case, I ended up calling this soft-spoken professor from a pay phone. We both laughed at the situation , but he's incredibly light-hearted, and carries himself over the phone as good-natured.(Contrast him to the pretentious DEL Reps from Washington) He's currently working as an adviser to a member from a tribe in Southern CA. I really want to learn the revitalization process from someone who's an expert, but also someone who's sympathetic to the historical context in California. Over the course of our 15-minute conversation, he had asked questions mostly practical in nature, about our current grant; leaving most of the talking to me. I explained our approach as: 1) first shoot for documentation, before moving forward to our final goal of complete revitalization. He "would like to help us out." In any case, in about a month or so, I'd like to send any work produced on this subject. I'll also submit our background experience in linguistics/research to give him an understanding of our level of development. I am seriously considering applying under his leadership as a graduate student.
His two recommendations:
Find this book, study this book, understand this book.
Title
The green book of language revitalization in practice / edited by Leanne Hinton and Ken Hale
Published
San Diego : Academic Press, c2001
Descript'n
xvi, 450 p. : ill. ; 29 cm
Mooretown Rancheria should add a copy to their library, it could be the first starting place for for any tribal council members interested in knowing our influences/ process. Amazon has 1 used copy for $40. I'm checking a copy from the library at Brown. I tried locating you a copy within a 60mile radius, unfortunately Chico State lacks this resource.
And here's the second recommendation, a website publication list:
http://www.ilinative.org/
I'll be reading over the Green Book over the next few days.
I hope the best health to everyone at Mooretown. I am writing down all my actions on this website. Prior to our phone call last week, I had contacted linguist-activist "Wayne" from the M.I.T. graduate program in advanced linguistics. As you may or may not recall, I have never held the highest esteem for using cell phones, but this personal choice has greatly limited my options in regard to this project. In any case, I ended up calling this soft-spoken professor from a pay phone. We both laughed at the situation , but he's incredibly light-hearted, and carries himself over the phone as good-natured.(Contrast him to the pretentious DEL Reps from Washington) He's currently working as an adviser to a member from a tribe in Southern CA. I really want to learn the revitalization process from someone who's an expert, but also someone who's sympathetic to the historical context in California. Over the course of our 15-minute conversation, he had asked questions mostly practical in nature, about our current grant; leaving most of the talking to me. I explained our approach as: 1) first shoot for documentation, before moving forward to our final goal of complete revitalization. He "would like to help us out." In any case, in about a month or so, I'd like to send any work produced on this subject. I'll also submit our background experience in linguistics/research to give him an understanding of our level of development. I am seriously considering applying under his leadership as a graduate student.
His two recommendations:
Find this book, study this book, understand this book.
Title
The green book of language revitalization in practice / edited by Leanne Hinton and Ken Hale
Published
San Diego : Academic Press, c2001
Descript'n
xvi, 450 p. : ill. ; 29 cm
Mooretown Rancheria should add a copy to their library, it could be the first starting place for for any tribal council members interested in knowing our influences/ process. Amazon has 1 used copy for $40. I'm checking a copy from the library at Brown. I tried locating you a copy within a 60mile radius, unfortunately Chico State lacks this resource.
And here's the second recommendation, a website publication list:
http://www.ilinative.org/
I'll be reading over the Green Book over the next few days.
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