Margaret Langdon papers, 1957-2001

Summary

Creators:

Margaret Langdon

Abstract:

The Margaret Langdon papers contain correspondence; proposals and projects, primarily the Comparative Dictionary of Yuman Languages consisting of correspondence, contracts, evaluations, data entries, and drafts. Also included are Langdon's conference and workshop presentations along with numerous articles published in professional journals. The bulk of the collection contains research materials of Langdon and other anthropologists, linguists, language consultants, and students. They include correspondence, papers, workshop handouts, grammar notes, transcriptions, student papers, language lessons, articles, and notes. The research concentrates mainly on Native American languages such as Cocopa, Diegueño, Karuk, Kumeyaay, Mohave, Paipai, Yavapai, Yuman; from the areas of Southern California, Baja California, the Southwest, and Northwest Mexico. Included are the research of James Crawford, Judy Crawford, Ted Couro, Leanne Hinton, Abraham Halpern, Judith Joel, and Pamela Munro. Many unpublished field notes and language slips/notes were moved by Langdon from the University of California, San Diego archive collections of Yuman languages to The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley. There are some biographical information for Langdon and her class notebooks from the University of California at Berkeley, a few under the name of Margaret Hoffman. Langdon's teaching materials include mainly courses in Linguistics and Anthropology at the University of California at San Diego from 1965-1991.

Extent:

Number of containers: 29 cartons, 63 boxes Linear feet: 48.85

Language:

Collection materials are in English

Background

Scope and content:

The Margaret Langdon papers contain correspondence; proposals and projects, primarily the Comparative Dictionary of Yuman Languages consisting of correspondence, contracts, evaluations, data entries, and drafts. Also included are Langdon's conference and workshop presentations along with numerous articles published in professional journals. The bulk of the collection contains research materials of Langdon and other anthropologists, linguists, language consultants, and students. They include correspondence, papers, workshop handouts, grammar notes, transcriptions, student papers, language lessons, articles, and notes. The research concentrates mainly on Native American languages such as Cocopa, Diegueño, Karuk, Kumeyaay, Mohave, Paipai, Yavapai, Yuman; from the areas of Southern California, Baja California, the Southwest, and Northwest Mexico. Included are the research of James Crawford, Judy Crawford, Ted Couro, Leanne Hinton, Abraham Halpern, Judith Joel, and Pamela Munro. Many unpublished field notes and language slips/notes were moved by Langdon from the University of California, San Diego archive collections of Yuman languages to The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley. There are some biographical information for Langdon and her class notebooks from the University of California at Berkeley, a few under the name of Margaret Hoffman. Langdon's teaching materials include mainly courses in Linguistics and Anthropology at the University of California at San Diego from 1965-1991.

Biographical / historical:

Margaret Langdon was born in Belgium and immigrated to the United States where she attended the University of California at Berkeley, receiving her doctoral degree in 1966. For her dissertation, she did her fieldwork deciphering the spelling and grammar of Mesa Grande's Diegueño dialect in the San Diego area and worked with elders, Ted Couro and Christina Hutcheson, to create the first local Indian dictionary. During her years of teaching at the University of California at San Diego from 1965 to 1991, her contributions also included numerous publications on the native languages of Southern California and the Southwest. Langdon, professor emeritus of linguistics, was the primary expert in Kumeyaay, Northern Diegueño (Ipai) and Luiseño dialects. She was the leading figure in Hokan Studies and a founding member of the Society for the Study of Indigenous Languages of the Americas, serving as their president in 1985. Langdon died at the age of 79 in 2005.

Acquisition information:

The Margaret Langdon Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Loni Langdon on May 17, 2005.

Physical location:

Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Location of this collection:

UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft Library

Berkeley, CA 94720-6000, US

Contact:

510-642-6481

bancref-library@berkeley.edu

Website