Department of Linguistics
holton [at] hawaii [dot] edu
As a documentary linguist my work focuses on creating a lasting record of endangered human languages, particularly the non-Austronesian (Papuan) languages of eastern Indonesia and the Dene (Athabascan) languages of Alaska. Most of these languages are in danger of disappearing, and their systematic documentation preserves endangered knowledge systems while also contributing to an understanding of the diversity of human languages. My approach to language documentation is holistic and relies crucially on trans-disciplinary, collaborative methodologies. [website]
Projects:
- Traditional ecological knowledge of Abui (NSF BCS-1535763) (supplement to the project Alor-Pantar Languages: Origins and Theoretical Impact)
- Documenting Gwich’in Indigenous astronomy (NSF OPP-1317245)
- Linking maps, manuscripts, and place names data to improve environmental knowledge in Alaska (NSF OPP-1415603)