The Siberian Connection, part 2

This week we are witness to an historic gathering of linguists exploring what is potentially the first demonstrated long-distance genetic relationship. The Dene-Yeniseic Symposium held in Fairbanks this week explores what has been dubbed the Dene-Yeniseic Hypothesis, the putative genetic link between the Na-Dene (or Tlina-Dene, or Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit, or nuclear Na-Dene) family of northwestern North America, and the Yeniseic family of Central Siberian.

Connections between these two families have been suggested before this meeting--most famously in a 1998 paper by Merritt Ruhlen--but all of those proposals have fallen within the category of so-called "mass-comparison." That is, they have relied more on subjective evaluation of resemblance rather than on established methods of comparative linguistics. Part of the challenge of exploring this hypothesis is the wide academic gulf between Na-Dene and Yeniseic research. Both fields make use of idiosyncratic terminology and offer a high barrier-to-entry for non-specialists. Na-Dene is already seen as exceptional with Americanist circles, let alone Siberian. Few linguists have had significant experience with both families.

One notable exception is Ed Vajda, Professor at Western Washington University. Vajda has done first-hand field work with Ket, a Yeniseic language; has published the first comprehensive bibliography in English of Yeniseic; and has published a sketch grammar in English of Ket. Moreover, he has taken it upon himself to learn everything he can about Na-Dene languages as well. In fact, Vajda was probably the first Yeniseic scholar to attend and present at the Athabascan Languages Conference (where I first met him in 2000 in Morricetown, BC.)

In the run-up to the symposium, evidence for the Hypothesis has continued to build, as more and more data have been circulated. Especially significant in this regard has been a new Proto-Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit reconstruction developed by linguist Jeff Leer. Vajda has built on Leer's work to propose additional putative Na-Dene - Yeniseic cognates. So in some sense Vajda was yesterday preaching to the choir. Nevertheless, the reaction of participating senior scholars is nothing less than historic. The symposium concluded with a day-long session at the Alaska Anthropological Association conference in Anchorage. Vajda's presentation there was a tour de force which will surely come to be recognized as an historic moment in linguistic science.

Troth Yeddha' Park

After several years of pressure the University of Alaska Board of Regents at its Feb 6-7 meeting in Juneau approved the dedication of a tract of land on the Fairbanks campus as Troth Yeddha' Park. Although the campus is located in the heart of the Athabascan language region, this motion represents the first time an Athabascan name has received official status on the Fairbanks campus. Troth Yeddha' is a Tanana Athabascan name which loosely translates as 'wild potato hill.'

It has long been known that the current Fairbanks campus site has a rich Athabascan history predating the current buildings. Excavations in the 1930s below the site of the present Bunnell building revealed a 10,000 year history of occupation as a campsite and lookout, perhaps used in hunting the caribou herds which crossed the Chena valley. (An excellent history of this site can be found in a 1991 book by Chuck Mobley.) However, the name Troth Yeddha' was not associated with the campus until relatively recently. The first mention of the name in conjunction with the campus appears in a 1990 address by traditional chief Peter John at a summit hosted by Rural Student Services. In his speech John referred to an historic gathering of the Tanana Chiefs on the campus site where the Chiefs gave their blessing for the new college to built. John used the name Troth Yeddha' and also used the imagery of the eagle feather, noting,

"They placed an eagle feather on a pole. This was to let all the people know that the Dena would no longer be using the ridge for a meeting place or to pick wild potatoes. They were also giving a blessing so their grandchildren would be part of the new school."

Some linguists continue to dispute the connection of the name Troth Yeddha' with the Fairbanks campus. Certainly there are places where troth does grow, however, it is argued that the presence of this plant would be unlikely to influence choice of place name. Rather, the site was more likely important as a hunting encampment and--being located on a high point with good views to the south and east--a lookout. But this argument misses the point. The significance of last week's action by the Board of Regents is in the recognition of an Athabascan name and the historic role of Athabascan people on the Fairbanks campus. A role which will continue to be filled by future generations of Athabascan and other Alaska Native students.

Australia apologizes to Aborigines

Today Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd offered an historic apology to Australia's Aboriginal community on behalf of the Australian government. [ pdf text | podcast ]. The apology focuses on the so-called "Stolen Generation," those people forcibly removed as children from their families in a long-standing government policy of assimilation which was not abolished until the late 1960s. The apology is largely symbolic and offers nothing in the way of monetary compensation. Nor does the apology refer directly to language, although clearly the removal policy and associated focus on assimilation has had a devastating effect on Australia's Aboriginal languages. Of the estimated 250 or so languages which were spoken at the time of White settlement, at least 10% are now extinct, and few have more than a handful of remaining speakers. Rudd's apology will do little to strengthen Aboriginal languages. Nevertheless, it is notable that a similar Resolution of Apology to the Native Peoples has never made much progress through the United States legislature. With the recent demise of Eyak, perhaps it is time for Alaskans to reflect on past injustices.

The Siberian Connection

An upcoming symposium will explore possible linguistic connection between the Athabascan-Eyak-Tlingit (Dene) language family of North America and the Yeniseic family of central Siberia [http://www.uaf.edu/anlc/dy2008.html]. Positing such long-distance genetic relationships between language families is certainly nothing new, and indeed, connections between some Yeniseic languages and Tlingit and Athabascan were proposed at least as early as 1923. However, most of this work lies at the margins of respectable linguistics. That is, it makes for exciting newspaper stories (think "Nostratic," the proposed proto-World language), but generally doesn't pan out in academic circles. Recent work in this area by Ed Vajda may be something quite different.

Vajda has delved into Yeniseic linguistics with a vengeance, publishing an excellent bibliography of Yeniseic research and a sketch grammar of Ket, one of the Yeniseic languages. Moreover, Vajda has also immersed himself in the rather opaque world of Athabascan linguistics as well. I first met him at a 1998 Athabascan Languages Conference, where he presented some of his initial ideas on the Dene - Yeniseic connection. What is particularly intriguing about Vajda's work is that he has gone beyond the mass comparison ("gee, don't these words look similar?") approach and begun to apply techniques from the established comparative method.

Vajda's work is complicated by the status of the Dene data. Work on reconstructing AET was begun long ago and was advanced primarily by Jeff Leer of the Alaska Native Language Center during the last couple decades. However, most of Leer's work has remained unpublished and inaccessible. This may be about to change as Leer is posed to release a major new paper detailing recent advances in AET comparison.

The upcoming workshop Feb 26, 27, and 29 will bring together Vajda, Leer, and a number of leading international scholars in order to examine the data more closely. If solid evidence for a Dene-Yeniseic connection can be found, this could be one of the most exciting advances in historical linguistics in recent times, helping to shed light on the prehistoric settlement of North America.