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Robert Rankin papers

National Museum of Natural History

Object Details

Creator
Rankin, Robert Louis, 1939-
Topic
Indians of North America -- Southern states
Indians of North America -- Great Plains
Kansa Indians
Kansa language
Yuchi language
Yuchi Indians
Language and languages -- Documentation
Provenance
This collection was transferred to the National Anthropological Archives by Robert Rankin's wife, Carolyn Rankin, in 2014.
Creator
Rankin, Robert Louis, 1939-
Culture
Quapaw Indians
See more items in
Robert Rankin papers
Sponsor
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Wenner-Gren Foundation. Digitization and preparation of sound recordings for online access has been funded through generous support from the Arcadia Fund.
Summary
The Robert Rankin papers, 1886, 1914, 1956-2011, document his field work, research, and professional activities, primarily in relation to his work studying American Indian languages. Rankin was professor of linguistics at the University of Kansas from 1969 until his retirement in 2005. The collection consists of sound recordings, field notebooks, vocabulary lists and bibliographies, dictionaries, research files, slip files, word lists, correspondence, ephemera, notes, readings and reprints, writings, drafts, and teaching materials. This includes materials from Rankin's work with the last native speakers of the Quapaw and Kaw (Kansa, Kanza) languages and subsequent research, writings, and collaborations with tribes and fellow linguists.
Biographical Note
Chronology 1939 -- Born January 17 1960 -- Graduated from Emory University with a B.A. in Romance Languages 1966-1968 -- Fulbright Fellowship in Romania researching Romanian dialects 1968 -- M.A. in Linguistics, University of Chicago 1969 -- Started at the University of Kansas as an Acting Assistant Professor of Linguistics 1972 -- Ph.D. in Linguistics, University of Chicago 1972 -- Became an Assistant Professor of Linguistics at the University of Kansas 1973 -- Language work with the Quapaw 1973-1974 -- Began work with the Kaw (Kansa, Kanza) language that continued for the rest of his life 1986 -- Became a Professor of Linguistics at the University of Kansas 2005 -- Retired from the University of Kansas 2014 -- Died on February 24 Robert Rankin was a professor of linguistics at the University of Kansas who spent the majority of his career working with American Indian languages in the Siouan language family. He began his career studying romance languages as part of his undergraduate and graduate work and completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Romania (1966-1968) examining regional linguistic differences. He began teaching at the University of Kansas in 1969 and was introducted to the Choctaw language in Summer 1972 while teaching a field methods course. He became fascinated with American Indian languages and started working with the remaining native speakers of the Quapaw tribe in early 1973. When there were no more native speakers left, he started working with the Kaw (Kansa, Kanza) language. When he began this research in 1973-1974, there were only four fluent speakers of Kaw (Kansa, Kanza) left. He continued studying the language until well after his retirement from the University of Kansas in 2005. Rankin died on February 24, 2014 in Kansas City, MO. Sources consulted: "Robert L. Rankin obituary," Lawrence Journal-World, March 1-5, 2014 http://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?pid=169905179
Extent
31.77 Linear feet (55 boxes, 1 map folder)
196 Sound recordings
Date
1886, 1914, 1956-2011
Archival Repository
National Anthropological Archives
Identifier
NAA.2014-16
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Field notes
Citation
Robert Rankin papers, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Arrangement
The Robert Rankin papers are arranged in 9 series: Series 1. Quapaw, 1972-1991, undated; Series 2. Kaw (Kansa, Kanza), circa 1970-2011, undated; Series 3. Field notebooks, 1981-1983, 1995, undated; Series 4. Subject and correspondence files, 1886, 1956-2007, undated; Series 5. Conferences and professional associations, 1974-2010; Series 6. Writings, 1975-2010, undated; Series 7. Teaching and academic files, 1973-2006, undated; Series 8. Romanian study, 1914, 1962-1972, undated; Series 9. Sound recordings, 1963-1987, undated.
Processing Information
The papers of Robert Rankin were received loosely labeled by topic, but required extensive rearrangement during processing to deliniate series. Files were mostly well labeled and original file titles were maintained throughout the majority of the collection. This includes Rankin's file titles regarding American Indian languages and tribes, however the archivist used standardized names for tribes and languages in the front matter and notes. Sound recordings 075-076 were discovered to be copies of other material, so these numbers no longer exist in this collection. Processed and encoded by Katie Duvall, 2016
Rights
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Selected Bibliography
1978. -- Word final high vowels in Rumanian: problems in synchronic and diachronic dialectology -- . with J. R. Swanton. 2002. -- An Ofo grammar sketch. -- [Kansas]: University of Kansas. with Cumberland, Linda A. 2012. -- Kaanze Ie Wayaje: an Annotated Dictionary of Kaw (Kanza). n.d. "The Unmarking of Quapaw Phonology: A Study of Language Death". -- Kansas Working Papers in Linguistics -- . with Richard T. Carter, Willem de Reuse, Randolph Graczyk, A. Wesley Jones, John E. Koontz, David S. Rood, Patricia A. Shaw, and Paul Voorhis. "Comparative Siouan Dictionary." Comparative Siouan Dictionary. Accessed November 17, 2016. http://csd.clld.org/.
Genre/Form
Sound recordings
Field notes
Scope and Contents
The Robert Rankin papers, 1886, 1914, 1956-2011, document his field work, research, and professional activities, primarily in relation to his work studying American Indian languages. The collection includes sound recordings, field notebooks, vocabulary lists and bibliographies, dictionaries, research files, slip files, word lists, correspondence, ephemera, notes, readings and reprints, writings, drafts, and teaching materials. The 196 sound recordings include material from Rankin's work with the last native speakers of both the Quapaw and Kaw (Kansa, Kanza) languages. The collection includes extensive research on these languages along with research on other facets of the Siouan language family. Rankin's close collaboration with colleagues and tribes is well documented, especially his work with linguists John E. Koontz and W.L. Ballard, as well as his contributions to language documentation efforts including the Handbook of North American Indians, the Annotated Dictionary of Kaw (Kanza), and the Comparative Siouan Dictionary. The collection also includes sound recordings and notes from Rankin's study of the Romanian language as part of his graduate study.
Restrictions
The Robert Rankin papers are open for research. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice. Computer disks are currently restricted due to preservation concerns. Access to the Robert Rankin papers requires an appointment.
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1503510308966-1503510308986-0
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nw3257614ac-03d5-427a-a906-23acf35a60c6

In the Collection

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  • Kelty, Dan

  • Early tribal distribution of Plains tribes, RLR/JEK

  • Drechsel, Mobelian jargon

  • Notes, correspondence, etc.

  • Booker; Ballard

  • File Chiwere: Ioway-Otoe

  • Comparative Siouan Dictionary (CSD):

  • From Don Stull, possibly a S. American Indian language

  • More random Siouan notes

  • Maps (North America) with isoglosses

  • Field notebook: Romania

  • General correspondence

  • Ponca Tribe Historical Anthology (recorded at Ponca Tribal Affairs Building)

  • Linguistics 447/747 materials

  • Klimov, summary

  • SELC at OSU (Oklahoma)

  • Shawnee, E.W. Voegelin, 16th/17th century locations of Shawnee (with notes)

  • Peoria notes (Gravier, Le Boulanger, Gatschet); Carolina place names (Hudson); Shawnee myths, ethnohistory (Shutz)

  • I-III. U.S. Army spoken Turkish

  • University of Manitoba anthropology papers: Teton Dakota phonology, Carter (with annotations)

  • Kiowa Botan

  • "Further Observations on Biloxi Phonology and Morphology"

  • Hudson: Juan Pardo place names

  • Linguistics 747

  • Quapaw II

  • Siouan conference handouts

  • Siouan, Rood

  • Siouan linguistic questionnaires

  • Yuman languages

  • Phonemic inventories by family and/or area

  • Ofo and Biloxi

  • Siouan numerals

  • Letter to Janet Goodenow

  • Note: Things to look up

  • Quapaw paper

  • Watkins, Laurel: Classificatory verbs

  • Handbook, HNAI

  • Siouan history and classification (includes correspondence)

  • Koasati

  • Douglas Parks, "North Caddoan Verb" (AAA)

  • Siouan (Kansas) handout

  • "Biloxi" vocab (Mobilian) from Gilcrease

  • Kaw language project

  • Administrative: Invoices for publications

  • Counting systems, Eastern N.A.

  • Quapaw and Kaw IDD dictionaries (with fonts, prep files)

  • Mitchigamea

  • Comments

  • Chickasaw phonemics ("Phonology and Some Aspects of the Morphology of Chickasaw," Keiji Ohmon)

  • Omaha and Ponca (dictionary)

  • National Anthropological Archives

  • Taiwanese tones and consonant contrasts, Linguistics 703

  • Biloxi

  • McCollum labs

  • "FH"

  • Siouan archives

  • Photos

  • "Smoke Circles in the Sky" (raw oral history, whose?)

  • Field methods, liguistics 280: Choctaw language, field notes

  • IV. Turkish grammar text

  • Quapaw as a Dhegiha language: Grammar

  • SCLC

  • Uto Aztecan conference

  • To be answered

  • Siouan conjugation types

  • Thompson and Blackbird: "The Omaha-Ponca Language in Writing: Suggestions for a Practical Orthography"

  • Administrative memos and correspondence

  • Natchez and Muskogean, Hass

  • Lupardus; Smith

  • Choctaw, Proto-Algonquian, Creek, and Malayalam vocabulary file slips (from field methods courses?)

  • Boas, Franz, "Notes on Ponka Grammar" and related notes

  • Laryngeal changes

  • Swanton articles and bibliography

  • Miscelleneous articles and reprints

  • 1973 MS, "Historical grammar and Phonology of SE languages"

  • Classification and stammbaume

  • Sources of Siouan aspiration paper

  • Word: Zhang, Shu-Feng

  • Matthews, Hidatsa dictionary

  • Miscellaneous (file after return)

  • DC ARC newsletter

  • The Ohio State University Newark Earthworks Initiative Oral History Project: Robert Rankin, presentation and luncheon

  • Quapaw words from OIAC tape provided by Edna Wilson

  • Correspondence: Language inquiries

  • "Ponca Vowel Length and the Transcriptions of James Owen Dorsey" by Rankin and Kathleen Shea

  • Correspondence: James Crawford to Ballard

  • Quapaw language: Maude Supernaw, interview by Charles and Hijo Supernaw

  • Salt (translations for)

  • Koontz and miscellaneous Siouan

  • "Proto-Siouan Auxiliaries: Reconstruction and Evolution" Rankin

  • Field notebooks

  • Siouan-Caddoan languages conference

  • 747 handouts

  • Distant genetic relationship

  • Greenberg

  • Saltatory sound changes, p/b, kg

  • KU stuff

  • Ariell's homework

  • A.A. Hill: Eskimo, A grammatical sketch

  • English-Yuchi wordlist and Yuchi-English morpheme lexicon

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