William F. Shipley

William F. Shipley (November 19, 1921 – January 20, 2011)[1] was an American linguist whose main area of research was the now-extinct Maidu language of Northern California. He was one of the last speakers of the language.[2]

William F. Shipley
Shipley in 1990
Born(1921-11-19)November 19, 1921
Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S.
DiedJanuary 20, 2011(2011-01-20) (aged 89)
NationalityAmerican
Spouse(s)
Barbara Bartle
​
​
(m. 1962; div. 1986)​
Partner(s)Jerry Davis
Children2, including Michael Shipley
Academic background
Alma materUC Berkeley
ThesisMaidu Grammar (1959)
Doctoral advisorMary Haas
Academic work
DisciplineLinguist
Institutions
Notable studentsMarc Okrand
Main interestsMaidu language

Life

Shipley was a student of anthropologist and linguist Alfred Kroeber, and linguist Mary Haas at UC Berkeley.[3] During World War II, he was part of a program to teach US Army soldiers to speak Mandarin Chinese at Berkeley.

Shipley began studying the Mountain Maidu language in 1953 with Maym Benner Gallagher, a Maidu elder. He continued to work with Kenneth Holbrook to continue to document and record the Maidu language.[4] Their collaboration led to a book of Maidu texts and dictionary.[5] as well as a grammar of Maidu.[6]

Shipley taught as a professor of linguistics at UC Santa Cruz from 1966 to 1991. After his retirement, he continued to work in spreading knowledge about the Maidu language and culture. His book of translated Maidu stories, The Maidu Indian Myths and Stories of Hánc'ibyjim, was published by Heydey Books in 1991. He died of complications from pneumonia on January 20, 2011.[2] He was the father of screenwriter Michael Shipley and teacher Freya Shipley.

References
  1. "Remembering Bill Shipley".
  2. Baković, Eric (February 3, 2011). "William F. Shipley, 1921–2011". Language Log. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
  3. Reti, Irene. "Out in the Redwoods: Interview with William Shipley". Out in the Redwoods Regional History Project. University Library, UC Santa Cruz. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
  4. Slater, Dashka (July–August 2004). "Keepers of a Lost Language". Mother Jones Magazine. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
  5. Shipley, William F. (1963). Maidu Texts and Dictionary. University of California Publications in Linguistics. 33. University of California. OCLC 568945.
  6. Shipley, William F. (1964). Maidu Grammar. University of California Publications in Linguistics. 41. University of California. OCLC 254471823.
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