This page summarizes the history of graduate instruction in linguistic field methods at Berkeley, with information about academic year, language(s), consultant(s), and instructor(s), when known. Links in the Language column are to archival collections in the California Language Archive (CLA). The information has been reconstructed from archival course catalogs, which occasionally do not reflect the ultimate instructor of record, and in consultation with Linguistics faculty, graduate students, alumni, and records in the CLA. We will continue to update it as we learn more.
The course in its present guise began in the 1948-1949 academic year, with Prof. Mary Haas's Oriental Languages 197AB "Linguistics Laboratory." This course was transferred to the newly founded Department of Linguistics in 1953-1954 as the undergraduate course Linguistics 190AB, with the same name. From 1954 to 1963 it carried the same name under the course number Linguistics 220AB, a graduate course that begins this list. From 1963 to 1966 it was Linguistics 220AB, at this time named "Linguistic Field Methods," and from 1966 to 1982 it was renumbered 211AB. Since 1983 the course has been Linguistics 240AB "Linguistic Field Methods." Beginning in 1961 and lasting through 1990, there were typically two field methods courses taught per year.
| Academic Year | Language(s) | Consultant(s) | Instructor(s) |
| 2023-2024 |
COURSE NOT OFFERED |
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| 2022-2023 |
Lobi (Gur; Burkina Faso, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire) |
Sansan Claude Hien | Hannah Sande |
| 2021-2022 |
Garifuna (Arawak; Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua) |
Frank Palacio | Lev Michael |
| 2020-2021 |
Paraguayan Guaraní (Tupí-Guaraní; Paraguay) |
María Gómez, Irma Ovelar | Lev Michael |
| 2019-2020 |
COURSE NOT OFFERED |
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| 2018-2019 |
San Pedro Necta & Todos Santos de Cuchamatán Mam (Mayan; Guatemala) |
Brenda Calmo, Gerardo Jerónimo, Rudy Pablo | Lev Michael |
| 2017-2018 | San Juan Atitán Mam (Mayan; Guatemala) | Henry Sales | Lev Michael |
| 2016-2017 | South Bolivian Quechua (Quechuan; Bolivia) | Efrain Escobar | Lev Michael |
| 2015-2016 | Tswefap (Grassfields Bantu; Cameroon) | Guy Tchatchouang | Larry Hyman, Steven Bird |
| 2014-2015 | Aymara (Aymaran; Peru, Bolivia) | Hector Zapana Almanza | Lev Michael |
| 2013-2014 | Turkmen (Turkic; Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan) | Nazik Aytjanova | Darya Kavitskaya |
| 2012-2013 | Sereer (Niger-Congo; Senegal, Gambia) | Malick Loum | Peter Jenks |
| 2011-2012 | Garifuna (Arawak; Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua) | Philip Tim Palacio | Lev Michael |
| 2010-2011 | Abo (Bantu; Cameroon) | Achille Massoma | Larry Hyman |
| 2009-2010 | Imbabura Quichua (Quechuan; Ecuador) | Mariana Chuquín, Augusto O. | Lev Michael |
| 2008-2009 | Chungli Ao (Tibeto-Burman; India) | Moa Imchen | Alice Gaby, Lev Michael |
| 2007-2008 | Falam Chin (Tibeto-Burman; Myanmar) | Ni Luai Thang | Alice Gaby |
| 2006-2007 | Southeastern Pomo (Pomoan; California) | Loretta Kelsey | Leanne Hinton |
| 2005-2006 | Mono Lake Northern Paiute (Uto-Aztecan; California) | Grace Dick, Leona Cluette Dick, Joyce Glazier, Elaine Lundy, Edna Mega Dick McDonald, Edith McCann, Morris Jack, Madeline Stevens, Meg McDonald | Andrew Garrett |
| 2004-2005 | Kuki-Thaadow (Tibeto-Burman; India, Myanmar) | Vei Ning | Larry Hyman (fall), Lynn Nichols (spring) |
| 2003-2004 | Yucatec Maya (Mayan; Mexico, Belize) | Santos Nic | Leanne Hinton |
|
2002-2003 |
Tangkhul Naga (Tibeto-Burman; India) |
Khan Lolly |
Larry Hyman |
|
2002-2003 |
Hong Kong Sign Language |
Eve Sweetser |
|
| 2001-2002 | Leggbo (Cross-River, Niger-Congo; Nigeria) | Imelda Udoh | Larry Hyman |
| 2000-2001 | S'gaw Karen (Tibeto-Burman; Myanmar, Thailand) | Plah Set | James Matisoff |
| 1999-2000 | Chechen (Nakh-Daghestanian; Chechnya) | Arbi Vagapov | Johanna Nichols, Sharon Inkelas, Andreas Kathol |
| 1998-1999 | Chokri Naga (Tibeto-Burman; India) | Zhalie Nienu | James Matisoff |
| 1997-1998 | Yowlumne (Yokuts; California) | Leanne Hinton | |
| 1996-1997 | Lai Chin (Tibeto-Burman; Myanmar, India) | Kenneth Van Bik | James Matisoff |
| 1995-1996 | Ingush (Nakh-Daghestanian; Ingushetia) | Issa Guliev | Johanna Nichols |
| 1994-1995 | Cherokee (Iroquoian; US) | Richard Rhodes | |
| 1993-1994 | Armenian (Indo-European; Armenia) | Aleks Göllü | James Matisoff |
| 1992-1993 | Uighur (Turkic; China) | Anwar Yusuf | James Matisoff |
| 1991-1992 | Irish (Indo-European; Ireland) | Joan Keefe | James Matisoff |
| 1990-1991 | Lithuanian (Indo-European; Lithuania) | Rima Kulikauskas | James Matisoff |
|
1990-1991 |
Mixtec (Oto-Manguean; Mexico) |
Luciano Cortés Nicolás |
Leanne Hinton |
|
1989-1990 |
Kashaya (Pomoan; California) |
Milton Lucas |
Leanne Hinton |
|
1989-1990 |
Kannada (Dravidian; India) |
Rekha Adiga |
James Matisoff |
|
1988-1989 |
James Matisoff |
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|
1988-1989 |
Vietnamese (Austroasiatic; Vietnam) |
Richard Rhodes |
|
|
1987-1988 |
Kokborok (Tibeto-Burman; India, Bangladesh) |
Prashanta Tripura |
James Matisoff |
|
1987-1988 |
Tigrinya (Semitic; Eritrea, Ethiopia) |
Tesfai Haile |
Richard Rhodes |
|
1986-1987 |
Q'anjob'al (Mayan; Guatemala, Mexico) |
Rafael Pascual |
Leanne Hinton |
|
1986-1987 |
Khmer (Austroasiatic; Cambodia) |
James Matisoff |
|
| 1985-1986 | Charles Fillmore | ||
| 1984-1985 | Hmong (Hmong-Mien) | James Matisoff | |
| 1983-1984 | Hopi (Uto-Aztecan; Arizona) | Roy Albert | Leanne Hinton |
| 1982-1983 | |||
|
1981-1982 |
Lotha Naga, Angami Naga (Tibeto-Burman; India) |
Wonjano Nienu (Lotha), Vikuosa Nienu (Angami) |
James Matisoff |
|
1981-1982 |
Mixtec (Oto-Manguean; Mexico) |
Nicolás Cortés |
Leanne Hinton |
|
1980-1981 |
Mixtec (Oto-Manguean; Mexico) |
Nicolás Cortés |
Leanne Hinton |
|
1980-1981 |
Vietnamese (Austroasiatic; Vietnam) |
James Matisoff |
|
|
1979-1980 |
Lakota (Siouan; US, Canada) |
Eva (Martin) Brown, Mary (Afraid of Enemy) McDaniel |
Wallace Chafe |
|
1979-1980 |
Mien (Hmong-Mien) |
James Matisoff |
|
|
1978-1979 |
Wallace Chafe |
||
|
1978-1979 |
Ayacucho and Cochabamba Quechua (Quechuan; Peru, Bolivia, respectively) |
Laura Runi (Ayacucho), Ditry Daza (Cochabamba) |
Leanne Hinton |
| 1977-1978 | Tagalog (Austronesian; Philippines) | Arthur Soriano, Aida Galloway | James Matisoff |
| 1976-1977 | Mokpwe (Bantu; Cameroon) | Mary Eposi Ngomba-Westbrook, Martin Yangange Musonge | Charles Fillmore |
|
1975-1976 |
Finnish (Uralic; Finland) |
Kersti, Mr. Tervo, Antti Tihverainen |
Charles Fillmore |
|
1975-1976 |
Sherpa (Tibeto-Burman; Nepal) |
Konchhok Lama |
James Matisoff |
|
1974-1975 |
Lakota (Siouan; US, Canada) | Ruby Swift Bird |
Wallace Chafe |
|
1974-1975 |
James Matisoff |
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|
1973-1974 |
Nepali (Indo-European; Nepal) |
Tulshi Uprety |
James Matisoff |
|
1973-1974 |
Jesse Sawyer |
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| 1972-1973 | Angami Naga (Tibeto-Burman; India) | Vikuosa Nienu | James Matisoff |
| 1972-1973 | Cochabamba Quechua (Quechuan; Bolivia) | Ditri Daza | Mary Haas |
| 1971-1972 | Vietnamese (Austroasiatic; Vietnam) | James Matisoff | |
|
1971-1972 |
Navajo (Dene; US) |
Frank Burnside |
Mary Haas |
| 1970-1971 | Cochabamba Quechua (Quechuan; Bolivia) | Jaime Daza | James Matisoff |
| 1969-1970 | Karl Zimmer | ||
|
1968-1969 |
Wallace Chafe |
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|
1968-1969 |
Saudi Arabic (Semitic; Saudi Arabia) |
Faisal Bushnaak |
Terrence Kaufman |
|
1967-1968 |
Niels Ege |
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|
1967-1968 |
|
Karl Zimmer |
|
|
1966-1967 |
Wallace Chafe |
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|
1966-1967 |
Karl Zimmer |
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| 1965-1966 | Luo (Nilotic; Kenya, Tanzania) | Michael Okeyo | Niels Ege |
|
1964-1965 |
Lakota (Siouan; US, Canada) |
Ruby Swift Bird, Stella Swift Bird |
Terrence Kaufman |
|
1964-1965 |
William Shipley |
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|
1963-1964 |
Dakota (Siouan; US, Canada) |
Peter Swift Bird, Stella Swift Bird |
Wallace Chafe |
|
1963-1964 |
Harvey Pitkin |
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|
1962-1963 |
Burmese (Tibeto-Burman, Myanmar) |
Tin Maung |
Mary Haas |
|
1962-1963 |
Kikuyu (Bantu; Kenya) |
William Shipley |
|
|
1961-1962 |
Newari (Tibeto-Burman; Nepal) |
Sushila Joshi |
Mary Haas |
|
1961-1962 |
Kikuyu (Bantu; Kenya) |
George Kamau |
William Shipley |
| 1960-1961 | Sundanese (Austronesian; Indonesia) | Dell Hymes | |
| 1959-1960 | William Shipley | ||
| 1958-1959 | William Shipley | ||
| 1957-1958 | Hungarian (Uralic; Hungary) | Dimitri Balázs | Sydney Lamb |
| 1956-1957 | Finnish (Uralic; Finland) | Arto Salomaa | Sydney Lamb |
| 1955-1956 | Mary Haas | ||
| 1954-1955 | Tagalog (Austronesian; Philippines) | Loreto Gaba | Mary Haas |