Grammar and Lexicon of Purisimeño [puy]

FAIN: FN-271113-20

Timothy P. Henry-Rodriguez
California State University, Fullerton (Fullerton, CA 92831-3599)

Research and writing a digital lexicon and grammar of the Native American language Purisimeño, a dormant language of the Chumash family of central coastal California.

The Chumashan languages of Central and Southern coastal California have gone functionally extinct within the last 45 years. However, much tribal cultural knowledge is still alive, and there are several living individuals who have heard the language spoken and can recall words. The available material on Chumashan languages is incomplete: there are few readily-accessible materials on the languages for the public — the major exception being Applegate’s Samala (Ineseño) Chumash dictionary (Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians 2007) and Henry-Rodriguez’s forthcoming dictionary on Ventureño Chumash. The current project for a lexicon and grammar will resolve questions on the nature of Central Chumash, which is a protolanguage and subdivision within the Chumash language family. Outside of a very small lexicon assembled by the Western Institute for Endangered Language Documentation in 2018, there is no Purisimeño data readily available. By completing a grammatical description of Purisimeño and an accompanying full lexicon, questions about Central Chumashan and Southern Chumashan morphosyntax and historical affiliation will be able to be asked and answered. It will also be useful to the layperson and heritage learners of Central Chumashan languages. (Edited by staff)