Hey, it’s new episode of Fieldnotes!
This month’s episode is with Ana D. Alonso Ortiz, a Zapotec researcher and translator from Oaxaca, Mexico. Ana is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director of the Amerindian Studies and Bilingual Education master’s program at the University of Queretaro. Her research focuses on the language description and language revitalization of Yalalag Zapotec, specifically promoting the the language by working with child language acquisition.
She is currently developing a language course of Zapotec as a Second Language. Ana has worked on the production of educational materials in Zapotec in coordination with the Dill Yel Nbán Collective, a group of Zapotec scholars who seek to promote the Zapotec language. Ana received her PhD from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2021.
Like many Otomanguean languages these days, Yalalag Zapotec speakers have brought their language far afield: here are some of the places where it is spoken today, according to Wikipedia (Hidalgo Yalalag, Mexico City, Oaxaca City, Veracruz and Los Angeles):
@msatokotsubi has been addressing the topic of “insider linguistics” on Fieldnotes this whole season, and I think Dr. Alonso’s article on the topic might be of interest if you like this episode:
- Alonso, Ana D. Ortiz. 2021. “And what are you getting out of this?” Experiencing fieldwork in your community of origin: From reflection into emotional healing. LD&C . http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/24986 (10 January, 2022).
Hey, Dr. Alonzo got her PhD down the street from yours truly!
