Canadian grammars available on-line

[Peter Bakker]

Old grammars of Canadian languages available on-line.

At the ALT meeting in Amsterdam there was a meeting on the
possibility of making grammars available via the Internet. A
number of old grammars of Native Canadian languages can now be
consulted easily, which is of relevance for ALT-members.
     A number of years ago the Canadian Institute for Historical
Microreproductions started collect early books relevant to
Canadian history, in order to put these Early Canadiana on
microfiche. More than 3000 pre-1900 books with Canadian relevance
were thus made available to the public.
     Now the whole set of books is also available on-line via a
well-organized website. All pages of these old books can be
viewed on one 's own computer screen, and they can also be
downloaded in PDF-format. This means that many otherwise hard-to-
find and rare books are now within easy reach of researchers.
     For linguists it is good to know that many dictionaries,
grammars, vocabulary lists of Native languages can now be
consulted without cumbersome library searches. There is
linguistic work on the following languages, and undoubtedly more:
Abenaki,  Bella Coola, Chinook Jargon, Chipewyan, Cree, Eskimo
(several varieties), Flathead, Gwich'in, Haida, Kalispel,
Klamath, Maliseet, Micmac, Mohawk, Ojibwe, Onondaga, Plains Sign
Language, Seneca, Siksika (Blackfoot), Sioux, Slave, Tlingit,
Tsimshian. The quality varies from excellent to amateuristic.
Texts are also available, many of them of religious nature. One
can find linguistic works by people like Boas, Horatio Hale,
Hunter, Lacombe, Lahontan, Petitot, Pilling, Rand and many
others.
     Even though the focus of the website is on Canada, one can
also find sources on other parts of North America (a.o. Alaska,
the Aleut islands, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana).
     An early description of the linguistically relevant part of
the collection was made by David Pentland in 1993 ("North
American languages of Canada, 1534-1900." Facsimile Newsletter/
Bulletin Facsimil, 10: 5-16).
     One can search the website, in English and French, for words
in the titles, authors, subjects and even free text search. This
very valuable research tool can be found at: www.canadiana.org.

Peter Bakker

Peter Bakker                            email:  linpb at hum.au.dk
Institute for Linguistics               tel. (45) 8942.6553
Aarhus University, Nobelparken          tel. institute: (0045)8942.6562
Jens Chr. Skous Vej 7                   fax institute:  (0045)8942.6570
DK - 8000 Aarhus C                      Building 467, room 521

home page: www.hum.au.dk/lingvist/linpb/home_uk.htm