LINGUISTICS AS A PATH TO TRIBAL LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION

Yolanda PushetonequaM.A. Linguistics (2016 - University of Minnesota Twin Cities) Linguist, Sauk Language Department (Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma)Building Capacity in Linguistics and Endangered Languages at Tribal Colleges and Universities / Linguistics Society of America 2017 Annual Meeting

Thursday, January 5, 2017

INTRODUCTION

v Background: v Meskwaki tribal member from the Meskwaki Settlment

in central Iowa

v Raised by two fluent speaker parents, understanding and using a little Meskwaki language, similar to other peers

v Meskwaki is in an endangered state: Population: 1,400 Youngest fluent speakers are in their mid-late 40s

INTRODUCTION

v Interest in Linguistics Developed over many years: v Research topic on Language Preservation 2000

v Attending my first linguistics talk 2008

v Appointed to launch Meskwaki Language Department – the first years in my language career

MESKWAKI LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT: NEEDS

v Identifying our tribe’s language needs as I understood them to be:

v Training of teachers for - youth, young adults, adults

v Systemic and collaborative support within the community

v Strategy based on proven results

v Orthography - Meskwaki writing system has a few inefficiencies

MESKWAKI ORTHOGRAPHY ISSUE: AN EXERCISE IN PHONETICS

v My first personal observation of a linguistic problem: Literacy issues we weren’t aware of: phonemes essential to the written word are not included in the current writing system

MESKWAKI ORTHOGRAPHY ISSUE: AN EXERCISE IN PHONETICS

v Experimenting with solutions:

inoki ttai egi megenetamani niatotaiinoki chaahi eehkwi mehkweenetamaani niihaatota

iinogi jaahi eehkwi mehkweenedamaani niihaadoda

înoki châhi êhkwi mehkwênetamâni nîhâtotaînogi jâhi êhkwi mehkwênedamâni nîhâdoda

v Final decision: I will encourage discussion among the community, but decisions to adopt updates lie soleley with the community. (With one exception, my personal documentation)

GRADUATE STUDIES: FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

v Onward to graduate school - M.A. Linguistics, 2016, University of Minnesota – TC

v Graduate School: Joys & growth

v Challenges & obstacles (the pesky imposter syndrome and other anxieties)

v Learning linguistics as long last!

v Morphology and Syntax – grammatical structure of language

v Phonology – my first direct applications to my own language

v Semantics – complexities beyond the surface

GRADUATE STUDIES: FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

v Personal language learning:

v Able to quickly increase my understanding of my own tribal language better once I researched and saw it through a linguistics lens. phonetics (sound system) and phonology (rules and tendencies regarding the sounds)

v Phonetics and Phonology Example: “Elision of semivowels” eh-bawi-nenoshewa > eh-bai-nenoshea‘when they don’t understand’

v Morphology Example: eh-tashi-meko=eh-shk-ihkwe-wi-wani‘when you become a young woman’

GRADUATE STUDIES: FOCUS ON LANGUAGEv Grammatical Structure of Algonquian Languages:

v Verbal typesv AI - Animate Intransitive – “He walks” / bemehkewav VII – Verb Inanimate Intransitive – “It is day / there is light” / wâsêyâwiv VTA – Verb Transitive Animate – “He likes her” / menwênemêwav VTI – Verb Transitive Inanimate – “He likes it” / menwênetamwa

v Verbal infelction for personv 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Obviative/ Proximate 3rd person

v Morphological complexity conveys syntactic informationv Many particles, intial/ medial/ and final stems

POST M.A. WORK: MESKWAKI-SAUK JOINT M-A PROGRAM (BACONECOLLEGE AND SAUK LANGUAGE DEPT.)

v Collaborative College Level Language Learning Program: v Sauk Language Department at the Sac & Fox Nation in Stroud, OKv Bacone College – Center for Tribal Languages

v BA in Tribal Languages – 4 semesters of Master Apprentice Internshipv Accredited college program with full time college credit per semesterv Location based in the language community

POST M.A. WORK: MESKWAKI-SAUK JOINT M-A PROGRAM (BACONECOLLEGE AND SAUK LANGUAGE DEPT.)

v My Role in the Joint Program:

v Establishing Community Buy-In and Support (elders, Tribal Council, Meskwaki Language Department)

v Train to be the intermediate learner/ leader of M-A sessions

v Secure a location

v Develop the curriculum and guide learning activities

POST M.A. WORK: MESKWAKI-SAUK JOINT M-A PROGRAM (BACONECOLLEGE AND SAUK LANGUAGE DEPT.)

� Meskwaki Community:� Availability of fluent speakers� Consultation sessions with

Meskwaki speaker community members

� Fieldwork conducted on grammatical patterns, immersion classroom phrases, and general lexical items not otherwise known

� Commitment of dedicated classroom space to the program

� Currently developing special endorsement by Meskwaki Higher Education Program

� Sauk Language Department: � Provides training based on successful

immersion and programming experience via periodic in-person trainings in Tama and Stroud

� Provides training and leadership via daily Asana interfacing, weekly Skype Meetings, and periodic phone calls as needed

� Direct and specific leadership in shaping the Joint Program

� Direct and specific leadership in carrying out immersion based teaching and learning

POST M.A. WORK: OTHER PROJECTS

v Fieldwork for general documentation: basic verbal samples within the 4 types

v Developing a fieldwork protocol for file organization, file naming and categorizing

v Standardizing Immersion Project: fieldwork in gathering paradigms based on Mood. First mood selected for this project: Imperativesv Group project in an effort to document each verb type for our own

reference to be used I teaching

LINGUISTICS AND IMMERSION LEARNINGv Limitations and Benefits:

vLimitations – linguistics doesn’t necessarily mean creating pedagogical material for all classroom types, however…

vBenefits – the products of linguistic analysis (reference grammars, documentation of the language) can inform the teaching.

vBenefits – adult learners will not catch everything as quickly, even via immersion

vBenefits – Gaining awareness of phenomenon in the language prior to M-A can be beneficial /necessary for advanced MA learners

SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION

vLinguistics is a necessity to any tribal revitalization program

vLinguistics is underutilized and possibly overlooked by tribal communities

vLinguistic material will supplement learning, inform pedagogy, and improve the quality of learner’s language

CONTACT INFORMATION

Yolanda Pushetonequa

Tribal Linguist, Sauk Language DepartmentSac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma

920883 S. Hwy 99Stroud, OK 74079

yolandapush@gmail.com