Endangered Language
Fund Newsletter
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Pilar Valenzuela, Assistant Professor of Spanish, was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (Award No. BCS-0853285) on May 28, 2009. The project is entitled "Collaborative Research: The Kawapanan Project: Building Flexible Data for the Documentation of Shiwilu (JEB) and Shawi (CBT)."  The main goal of the project is the documentation of the only two extant members of the Kawapanan (also, Cahuapanan) group: Shiwilu (JEB) and Shawi (CBT). Both languages are spoken in relative proximity to one another in the Peruvian Amazon. Documentary work is especially urgent for Shiwilu, since it is in immediate danger of complete disappearance with only a few elderly fluent speakers remaining. Another goal is the creation of reusable software to aid in the production of scientific materials for the linguists and pedagogical materials for community members. The software will aid data re-purposing where the same data will be used for the production of both types of materials.
 
The award is for $89,812 over two years with full recovery of indirect costs.  The project will be conducted in collaboration with Prof. Valenzuela's colleague, Professor Scott Farrar, who will be funded separately at the University of Washington, with Valenzuela as the lead investigator.  Please contact Prof. Valenzuela for details.

Click here to read the compiled and transcribed work by Pilar Valenzuela of Mrs. Emerita's Life!
Click here to read the collaborative research abstract!