# California Language Archive

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{{short description|Linguistics project}}
The '''California Language Archive''' (CLA), housed in the '''Survey of California and Other Indian Languages''' at the [University of California at Berkeley](/source/University_of_California_at_Berkeley), [documents](/source/language_documentation), catalogs, and archives the [indigenous languages of the Americas](/source/indigenous_languages_of_the_Americas). The CLA also hosts events related to [language revitalization](/source/language_revitalization) and preservation.

==Origins==
The CLA was started as a pilot project by [Berkeley](/source/University_of_California%2C_Berkeley) [linguistics](/source/linguistics) professors [Murray Emeneau](/source/Murray_Emeneau)<ref name="sfcronObit">{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/09/12/BAGCKEM6UU1.DTL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050915015802/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/09/12/BAGCKEM6UU1.DTL |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 15, 2005 |title=Murray Emeneau -- famed UC Berkeley linguist |work= The San Francisco Chronicle|accessdate=2009-06-08 | first=Patrick | last=Hoge |date=2005-09-12}}</ref> and [Mary Haas](/source/Mary_Haas) on January 1, 1953.<ref name="golla1997">{{Cite journal | pages = 550–555 | last = Golla | first = V.  | title = The Formative Influences on Mary R. Haas's Career | journal = Anthropological Linguistics | year = 1997 }}</ref><ref name="mclendonBio">{{Cite journal| volume = 39| issue = 4| pages = 522–543| last = McLendon| first = S.| title = Mary R. Haas: A Life in Linguistics| jstor=30028484|journal = Anthropological Linguistics| year = 1997}}</ref> Haas was a particular influence on the early working culture of the CLA. One student, [Brent D. Galloway](/source/Brent_D._Galloway), recalled<ref name="gallowayNatchez">{{Cite journal | volume = 39 | issue = 4 | pages = 636–641 [640] | last = Galloway | first = B.  | title = Recollections of Mary R. Haas as Teacher, Supervisor, and Inspiration | journal = Anthropological Linguistics | year = 1997 }}</ref> how several of Haas' students had used a [Natchez](/source/Natchez_language) greeting, ''wanhetahnú·ʼis'', and that "the tradition had apparently continued for over twenty years." (Haas' first publication had been on Natchez.)

The first project was a study of the [Karuk language](/source/Karuk_language) by [William Bright](/source/William_O._Bright), then a graduate student.<ref name="shipley1988">{{cite book | last = Shipley | first = William | title = In Honour of Mary Haas | publisher = Walter de Gruyter & Co | location = City | year = 1988 | isbn = 978-3-11-011165-1 }}</ref> Since its founding 80 doctoral dissertations have been written under the auspices of the CLA.<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://linguistics.berkeley.edu/~survey/resources/dissertations.php|title=Survey of California and Other Indian Languages, University of California, Berkeley|work=linguistics.berkeley.edu|accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref>

==International networks==
The California Language Archive is a member of the [Digital Endangered Languages and Musics Archives Network (DELAMAN)](/source/Digital_Endangered_Languages_and_Musics_Archives_Network).

==Publications==

The CLA published a series of "Reports" beginning in 1981, covering a variety of topics related to languages of California as well as Native American languages elsewhere. Some volumes were standalone works such as dictionaries, others were collections of varied articles.<ref name=surveyReports>{{Cite journal
| title = Proceedings of the Hokan–Penutian Workshop
| journal = Publications – Survey of California and Other Indian Languages
| accessdate = 2011-03-01
| url = http://linguistics.berkeley.edu/~survey/resources/publications.php?publication=hokan-penutian
}}</ref>  Beginning in 1976 the CLA began publishing the proceedings of Hokan–Penutian Workshop, which addressed the proposed [Hokan](/source/Hokan_languages) and [Penutian](/source/Penutian) language families.<ref name=hokanPenutian>{{Cite journal
| title = Survey Reports
| journal = Publications – Survey of California and Other Indian Languages
| accessdate = 2011-03-01
| url = http://linguistics.berkeley.edu/~survey/resources/publications.php?publication=survey-reports
}}</ref> Both resources are available online.

In 2011, a grant from the [National Endowment for the Humanities](/source/National_Endowment_for_the_Humanities) made it possible to merge online resources from CLA and the Berkeley Language Center (BLC) into a single website.<ref>{{Cite web
| last = Maclay
| first = Kathleen
| title = California Language Archive clicks with multiple resources
| accessdate = 2013-06-02
| date = 2011-06-20
| url = http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2011/06/20/california-language-archive/
}} {{Dead link|date=December 2025 |fix-attempted=yes |url=}} </ref><ref>{{Cite web
| accessdate = 2025-12-23
| date = 2011-06-20
| title = California Language Archive
| url = https://cla.berkeley.edu//index.html
}} </ref>

==Directors==
In addition to Haas, the CLA has been directed by [Wallace Chafe](/source/Wallace_Chafe) and [Leanne Hinton](/source/Leanne_Hinton).<ref name="surveyHistory">{{Cite web |url= http://linguistics.berkeley.edu/~survey/about-us/history.php |title=Survey of California and Other Indian Languages, University of California, Berkeley |work=linguistics.berkeley.edu |accessdate=May 4, 2010 }}</ref> The current director is [Andrew Garrett](/source/Andrew_Garrett_(linguist)).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://linguistics.berkeley.edu/~garrett/ |title=Andrew Garrett |publisher=linguistics.berkeley.edu |accessdate=2009-12-18 }}</ref>

==See also==
*[Classification of indigenous languages of the Americas](/source/Classification_of_indigenous_languages_of_the_Americas)
*[Indigenous languages of California](/source/%3ACategory%3AIndigenous_languages_of_California)
*[Classification of Native Americans in California](/source/Classification_of_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas)
*[Native American history of California](/source/%3ACategory%3ANative_American_history_of_California)
*[Traditional narratives (Native California)](/source/Traditional_narratives_(Native_California))
*[Population of Native California](/source/Population_of_Native_California)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://cla.berkeley.edu/ Survey of California and Other Indian Languages] (California Language Archive. Retrieved 2025-12-23.)
*{{Cite web
 |last        = Bower
 |first          = David
 |title       = California Language Archive Gives Great Insight into America's Indigenous Languages
 |work        = Industry News from LT-Innovate
|accessdate  = 2012-08-07
 |date        = 2012-06-12
 |url         = http://langtechnews.hivefire.com/articles/share/171820/
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://archive.today/20130125152537/http://langtechnews.hivefire.com/articles/share/171820/
 |archive-date = 2013-01-25
}}

{{Language families}}
{{Populations of Native California Groups}}

+
Category:Indigenous languages of the North American Southwest
Category:University of California, Berkeley
Category:Extinct languages of North America
Category:Native American language revitalization
Category:Linguistics organizations
Category:Research projects
Category:1953 establishments in California

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [California Language Archive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Language_Archive) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Language_Archive?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.