Yale University Library News

Native American Languages at Yale: Past, Present, and Future: A Virtual Panel

February 12, 2021
On Thursday, Feb. 25, 12-1:15 pm, four Yale students will discuss Native American languages across the country. The panel, moderated by Linguistic Professor Claire Bowern, will discuss issues related to language activism, language in Native American communities, Native American languages at Yale, and language loss and reclamation. 
 
The panel is part of Bass Library’s 2020/2021 Model Research Collection Language is Everywhere curated by Prof. Bowern. A historical linguist who researches language change and language documentation in Indigenous Australia, Bowern is the second Yale faculty member to curate the Model Research Collection, an initiative started in 2019 as part of the renovation of the Bass Library. The yearlong display shows how researchers can use library resources to investigate a specific topic or question by showcasing the range of printed and electronic collections available. It also highlights the depth and breadth of Yale Library collections in various subject areas. 
 
The four student panel members are Luta Fast Dog (YC '21), Jay Fife, Jr. (YC '22), Nolan Arkansas (YC '23), and Jeremy Johns (GSAS, Linguistics). The panel will discuss language and related topics across the nation and the role of institutions like Yale in the linguistic landscape of North America, including:
 
issues around language activism
language in Native American communities 
Native American languages at Yale
and language loss and reclamation
 
This event is open to the general public. Registration is required—click here to register. You will receive a reminder email one hour before the event with the link to the Zoom room. If you register less than one hour before the event starts, email kathryn.webb@yale.edu for the Zoom link.

Images contributed by the student panelists.