2007 Dene (Athabaskan) Languages Conference

Diné College, Main Campus
Tsaile, Arizona, 21-24 June, 2007

Conference Theme:
Nihizaad Hináanii Baa J'é'ííníilná
Living Our Languages

Athabascan/Dene Languages Conference

Request for Proposals/ Call for Papers

Proposal deadline: Tuesday May 10, 2007

The Athabaskan Languages Conference requests presentations on any topic relating to Athabaskan languages. The theme for the conference is Nihizaad Hináanii Baa J'é'ííníilná/ Living Our Languages. Topics of interest include language teaching and learning language teaching and learning, language documentation, language and culture, community programs, linguistics, language revitalization, and curriculum development.

Presenters will have 30 minutes or 60 minutes for their talks. Please prepare presentations of 20 minutes or 45 minutes, allowing 10 or 15 minutes for discussion. If you would like a longer presentation time, please contact the Program Coordinator.

About the theme: The theme for the conference is Nihizaad Hináanii Baa J'é'ííníilná / Living Our Languages. This is a critical time for our Athabaskan languages. We need to find ways to support and strengthen each other. We, educators and linguists, are seeking ways to support and strengthen each other. The group includes people who work inside and outside academic settings, people from different Athabaskan cultures, people with heritage from different continents, Canadians and US citizens. We cross borders to work together. Proposals that speak to this theme are encouraged, but we do not want to limit proposals to this theme only.

This year's conference is dedicated to the memory of William Morgan and Robert Young.

If you would like to give a presentation, please send a 2-page proposal to Will Quale. State whether you want 30 minutes or 60 minutes for your talk. The deadline for proposals is Tuesday May 10, 2007. Proposals by e-mail (.doc, .rtf, or .pdf format only), fax, or mail are encouraged. Please use .pdf format if your text includes special fonts.

Will Quale
e-mail: wquale1@swarthmore.edu
phone: 610-328-8421
fax: 610-328-7323
address:
Department of Linguistics
Swarthmore College
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore, PA 19086
USA

Conference Sponsors:
Diné College
Navajo Language Academy
Swarthmore College

Program

Download the conference program here.

Registration

Registration will be from 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon on Thursday and Friday and from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM on Saturday and Sunday. Registration will be in the foyer of the Student Union building. There will be a table where you can register and receive your registration packet.

Registration Fees

The registration fees are as follows:

$75.00 for the whole conference (to cover registration and the banquet cost).
Elders (65 years and up) free for the general sessions and concurrent sessions only; banquet cost - $10.00.
Students with ID - $25.00 registration fee; banquet is not included.
Banquet cost - $10.00 for students with ID and general public.

Accommodation

For information on accommodations and restaurants in the Diné College area.
On-campus in the dormitory (for presenters only). In the dormitory you will share a room with one other person and use a common bathroom with another room, so there will be 4 people sharing one bathroom. If you need a single room then we suggest you get a motel room in Chinle.
For campus housing, contact Sharon Begay (email: sbegay@dinecollege.edu; telephone (928) 724-6609, ext. 6782).
Off-campus in Chinle, Arizona some 30 miles away. There are several motels and lodges in Chinle. See Dine College link to the Athabaskan Languages Conference website for further information. Conference participants can also get motel rooms in Chinle

Transportation

The nearest major airport is in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The conference site in Tsaile is about a four and one-half hour drive from Albuquerque. (There is a closer airport in Farmington, NM but flights into this town are infrequent.)
Gallup, NM is roughly a two hour drive from Tsaile. Trains and buses run between Albuquerque and Gallup. There are car rental agencies in Gallup.
For map of where Tsaile is go online for directions at one of the map sites.

Food

A cafeteria is available at Dine College. See Dine College website for times when the cafeteria is open. Also, Chinle, Arizona has several eating places.

Proceedings

As in previous years, the Alaska Native Language Center will publish selected papers from the conference in a proceedings volume. Relevant papers not presented at the conference will also be considered for inclusion in this volume. Papers will generally be no more than 15 pages. More information regarding the proceedings will be available prior to the conference.