Henry Thomas Davis is a professor of linguistics at the University of British Columbia. He studies critically endangered indigenous languages of British Columbia, in particular, those of the Salish, Wakashan, and Tsimshianic families. Since 1992 he has been researching the Northern Interior Salish language St’át’imcets (Lilllooet), in partnership with the Upper St’át’imcets Language, Culture and Education Society. He has contributed to the development of a three-volume English-St’át’imcets dictionary, where he worked on both contemporary and historical textual materials. He has done collaborative research on two Wakashan languages: Nuuchahnulth, from the Southern branch, and more recently Kwak’wala, from the North. More recently, Davis has teamed up with researchers at UBC to begin a detailed investigation of the Interior Tsimshianic language Gitksan (Gitxsanmix).
Secwepemctsín (also known as Shuswap) is one of the Interior Salish languages of the large Salishan language family. Considered an endangered language, Shuswap is spoken mainly in the Central and Southern Interior of British Columbia between the Fraser River and the Rocky Mountains. According to the First Peoples' Cultural Council, 200 people speak Shuswap as a mother tongue, and there are 1,190 semi-speakers. Shuswap is the northernmost of the Interior Salish languages, which are spoken in Canada and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. There are two dialects of Shuswap: Eastern: Kinbasket (Kenpesq’t) and Shuswap Lake (Qw7ewt/Quaaout); Western: Canim Lake (Tsq’escen), Chu Chua (Simpcw), Deadman's Creek (Skitsestn/Skeetchestn)–Kamloops (Tk'emlups), Fraser River (Splatsin, Esk’et), and Pavilion (Tsk’weylecw)–Bonaparte (St’uxtews) The other Northern Interior Salish languages are Lillooet and Thompson. The present writing system for Secwepemctsín was developed by Dutch linguist Aert H. Kuipers in 1974. Until that time, Secwepemctsín remained an oral language.
[Information adapted from the “Shuswap language” Wikipedia article; Date Accessed: 08/30/2023]
Linguistic research on various topics of Secwepemctsín grammar. One flash drive containing field video recordings (on Zoom), elicitation audio recordings, field notes, and linguistic data spreadsheets. This collection includes a “Stories project” folder containing various recordings of Zoom sessions with consultant Garlene (Bernadette) Dodson, a Secwepemctsín elder and native speaker. Interviews are partially transcribed in English and contain traditional knowledge and personal stories from Dodson. Recording sessions are titled “Preserving Salmon”, “Mother Mountain”, “Playing with sisters”, “Cucumber Squash”, “Introduction”, “Growing Up”, and “Orchard”; some English translations are provided. Other consultants for this research project include Daniel Calhoun, Leona Calhoun, and Mona Jules.
Forms part of the Jacobs Research Fund Collection
Access to the materials in this collection for the purpose of reading, copying, or other use will be granted only with the donor's permission within 25 years of the date of the Jacobs Research Fund award. After 25 years, the collection will revert to UW Libraries Special Collections.
Copyrights retained by creator. Contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections for details.
Henry Davis, 2022