Keegan is a current LTS student in his second year of the two year program track working on the Ichishkíin language.

Hello Keegan! Could you tell us a little about yourself and how you came to join the LTS program?

Ii (yes)! I’m a Portland-born descendant of the Yakama Nation, so I didn’t grow up with a substantial connection to our language and culture. After studying Comparative Literature during my undergrad and exploring the impact of translation and language, I decided three years ago to move to our reservation in what is currently Washington state and start learning our dialect of the Ichishkíin language along with reconnecting with family and the tribal community.

There, in the middle of language and intro to linguistics classes during my first master’s program in 2018, I was pointed to the Northwest Indian Language Institute’s (NILI) Summer Institute where I first heard about LTS. I was gently encouraged to apply by new friends and colleagues to explore more teaching and language opportunities, and did so to join after I finished my program in Washington.

What will be the focus of your MA project?

I’m still between two topics, but I don’t have to decide-decide until after December. The first focuses on developing a portfolio of activities and materials to help Ichishkíin language learners get used to using the language through texting and social media. The second is focused on transforming Ichishkíin text materials into a machine-readable revitalization corpus that can be analyzed through Python scripts for different language phenomena patterns.

Could you tell us more about your journey to deciding on this project? Was it always your goal or did you find it over time?

I originally was developing a language curriculum for an Ichishkíin youth summer camp program, but realized that there were some more specialized things I could use this time to work on. A little over two years ago, I created an Ichishkíin phone keyboard which has really helped me and many other learner-speakers make language usage an everyday activity. This keyboard is now available to anyone through the Keyman app, so I want to build some resources to give to teachers to plug into their existing classes to help them get more engagement in the language.

The corpus project idea comes out of the corpus linguistics class I’m taking right now. I’ve been working with these texts for a few years, but now I’m learning ways to use statistical methods on them to better understand the patterns of the morphemes and root words present. It would be really cool to explore how to store and analyze these linguistically-complex texts while also generating frequency lists and patterns that could be the foundation for language curricula moving forward.

You are following the 2-year version of the program. What have been the advantages of doing this in your case? 

I’ve had time to take a lot more classes, for one thing! During my first year last year, I was able to take the second year of Ichishkíin classes offered here at the UO to keep working on my own language skills as I took most of the core LTS courses alongside my cohort. Then, in the spring and this year, I have been able to take more linguistics courses like Historical Linguistics, Corpus Linguistics, Morphology and Syntax, and Semantics, so I can continue developing my skills as a linguist as I also think about teaching strategies. It’s given me a lot more time for projects and learning opportunities!

In what ways do you feel LTS, Linguistics, or other resources at the UO have been able to support your goals in language revitalization?

One of the biggest parts are all of the term papers and projects that I’ve had to do for my courses so far. I’ve been able to develop a deeper linguistic understanding of our language while also thinking about how to include those functions and skills in curricula for future learners. All of my professors have been super open to me exploring topics that I haven’t encountered yet in my own language learning with the mindset of doing sufficient descriptive work that can then be translated into materials for teaching units. Having access to knowledgeable linguists within the department as well as more Ichishkíin-specific resources and knowledge through NILI has really helped me explore parts of the language that hasn’t been operationalized yet for learners.

Another big piece that I could only find here at the UO that has supplemented my academic learning is the Ichishkíin learner-speaker community here. Ten years of Ichishkíin classes offered here means that there are a lot of students, native and non-native alike, who have helped create a community of language practice that helps all of us solidify our skills. There is also the added benefit of still having Tux̱ámshish, Dr. Virginia Beavert, here on campus, so she can get to visit class to help us practice speaking Ichishkíin with a first-language speaker as well as share stories and explanations at the heart of the interaction between language and culture. It is definitely hard being away from the reservation and language community home-base while doing this work, but I’m excited to bring things back there once I finish with my learning here at the UO.

Do you have any suggestions or advice for those who want to pursue work on an endangered language through an advanced degree?  

The best advice I can give is to connect with others who are doing work with a revitalization language in your program or at your institution. It can be really hard to be away from your home language community There are more and more of us who are going in with the same types of goals and obstacles in mind, and you can find community sharing methods and ideas. It’s a definitely easier once you identify your comrades that will help cheer you on!