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. 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 Survey of California and Other Indian Languages. We will continue to update it as we learn more.
The course in its present guise began in the 1947-1948 academic year, with Prof. Mary Haas's Oriental Languages 197AB "Linguistics Laboratory." This course was transferred to the newly founded Department of Linguistics in 1952-1953 as the undergraduate course Linguistics 190AB, with the same name. From 1953 to 1963 it carried the same name under the course number Linguistics 220AB, a graduate course. 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.
Links in the Language column are to archival collections in the Survey -- more collections will be made available in the future.
| Academic Year | Language(s) | Consultant(s) | Instructor(s) |
| 2018-2019 |
Todos Santos de Cuchamatán Mam (Mayan; Guatemala) |
Brendi 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 | Bamileke-Batoufam (Grassfields Bantu; Cameroon) | Guy Tschathouang | 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 (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, Lynn Nichols |
| 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) | James Matisoff | |
| 1999-2000 | Chechen (Caucasian; Chechnya) | Johanna Nichols, Sharon Inkelas, Andreas Kathol | |
| 1998-1999 | Chokri Naga (Tibeto-Burman; India) | 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 (Caucasian; Ingushetia) | Johanna Nichols | |
| 1994-1995 | Cherokee (Iroquoian; US) | Richard Rhodes | |
| 1993-1994 | Armenian (Indo-European; Armenia) | James Matisoff | |
| 1992-1993 | Uighur (Turkic; China) | Anwar Yusuf | James Matisoff |
| 1991-1992 | Irish (Indo-European; Ireland) | James Matisoff | |
| 1990-1991 | Lithuanian (Indo-European; Lithuania) | James Matisoff | |
|
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) |
James Matisoff |
|
|
1987-1988 |
Tigrinya (Semitic; Eritrea, Ethiopia) |
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) |
Vikuosa Nienu (Angami) |
James Matisoff |
|
1981-1982 |
Karl Zimmer |
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|
1980-1981 |
Vietnamese (Austroasiatic; Vietnam) |
Leanne Hinton |
|
|
1980-1981 |
James Matisoff |
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|
1979-1980 |
Wallace Chafe |
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|
1979-1980 |
Mien (Hmong-Mien) |
James Matisoff |
|
|
1978-1979 |
Wallace Chafe |
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|
1978-1979 |
Ayacucho and Cochabamba Quechua (Quechuan; Peru, Bolivia, respectively) |
Leanne Hinton |
|
| 1977-1978 | Tagalog (Austronesian; Philippines) | 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 |
Wallace Chafe |
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|
1974-1975 |
James Matisoff |
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|
1973-1974 |
Nepali (Indo-European; Nepal) |
James Matisoff |
|
|
1973-1974 |
Jesse Sawyer |
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| 1972-1973 | Angami Naga (Tibeto-Burman; India) | James Matisoff | |
|
1971-1972 |
Mary Haas |
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|
1971-1972 |
Vietnamese (Austroasiatic; Vietnam) |
James Matisoff |
|
| 1970-1971 | Quechua (Quechuan) | 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 | |||
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1964-1965 |
Lakota (Siouan; US, Canada) |
Ruby Swiftbird, Stella Swiftbird |
Terrence Kaufman |
|
1964-1965 |
William Shipley |
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|
1963-1964 |
Dakota (Siouan; US, Canada) |
Peter Swiftbird, Stella Swiftbird |
Wallace Chafe |
|
1963-1964 |
Harvey Pitkin |
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|
1962-1963 |
Burmese (Tibeto-Burman, Myanmar) |
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 | William Shipley | ||
| 1956-1957 | Hungarian (Uralic; Hungary) | Sydney Lamb | |
| 1955-1956 | Finnish (Uralic; Finland) | Arto Kusta Salomaa | Sydney Lamb |
| 1954-1955 | Mary Haas | ||
| 1953-1954 | Mary Haas |