Robert E. Johnson Papers on the Coeur d'Alene and Makah Languages
name: label: Creator
content: Johnson, Robert E. (Robert Erik), 1945
label: Names
content: Nicodemus, Lawrence G., 1909-2004
place: label: Place
content: Makah Indian Reservation (Wash.)
label: Place
content: Neah Bay (Wash.)
topic: label: Topic
content: Language and languages -- Documentation
label: Topic
content: Makah language
label: Topic
content: Coeur d'Alene language
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: These papers were donated to the National Anthropological Archives by Robert E. Johnson upon his retirement from Gallaudet University in 2011.
creator: label: Creator
content: Johnson, Robert E. (Robert Erik), 1945
culture: label: Culture
content: Coeur d'Alene
label: Culture
content: Makah
setName: label: See more items in
content: Robert E. Johnson Papers on the Coeur d'Alene and Makah Languages
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Robert E. Johnson, an anthropological linguist, received a B.A. in psychology from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Washington State University. As a doctoral student he conducted field research on the Coeur d'Alene language on the tribe's reservation in Idaho (1969 and 1970). In 1971, he did fieldwork on the Makah language in Washington state. 

Johnson began teaching at Gallaudet University's Department of Linguistics in 1981. While there, he engaged in research on the phonetic, phonological, and morphological structures of signed languages. He studied the structures of American Sign Language, Argentine Sign Language, and the sign language of a Yucatec Maya community. He also worked with Scott Liddell on a phonetic notation system for signed languages and co-authored with Liddell and Carol Erting "Unlocking the Curriculum:  Principles of Achieving Access in Deaf Education." In addition, he provided consulting services as an expert witness on Miranda rights for deaf suspects.

Johnson retired from Gallaudet University in December of 2011.

Sources Consulted

Johnson, Robert. n.d. Robert Johnson, PhD. Accessed April 10, 2013. http://www.gallaudet.edu/faculty-staff/linguistics/johnson_robert_e.html

Johnson, Robert. n.d. Robert Johnson, PhD. Accessed April 10, 2013. http://www.mendeley.com/profiles/robert-johnson2/
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Boxe (Oversize)
label: Extent
content: 2.7 Linear feet (4 document boxes, 2 boxes of index cards and 16 sound recordings)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1969-1971
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: National Anthropological Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NAA.2011-34
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Field notes
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is organized into two series: 1) Coeur d'Alene Language, 1969 and 2) Makah Language, 1971.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Robert E. Johnson's papers were received organized by language. The original folder titles and arrangement were retained. Folder titles assigned by the archivist are indicated by square brackets. Files have been rehoused in acid free folders. Oversized materials were separated and placed in oversize boxes. Original and new locations of separated materials have been indicated with separation sheets.

Processed by Richelle Brown, May 2013.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Field notes
label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: This collection documents the research Robert E. Johnson conducted for his dissertation on the Coeur d'Alene language, as well as his fieldwork on the Makah language. Johnson's papers consist of field notes, audio recordings, index cards, and transcripts concerning both languages. The Coeur d'Alene recordings are of Lawrence Nicodemus. The Makah recordings were done with several of the last remaining speakers of that language, most of whom were over eighty years old when the recordings were made.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: The Human Studies Film Archives holds Robert E. Johnson's Mayan sign language video tapes and related notebooks.