The Tungusic Research Group at Dartmouth College

About the TRG

Bibliography

Map of Northern Asia

Dynamic media & texts

About the languages

Photographs

Endangered languages

Related links

Search the database

The Tungusic Research Group at Dartmouth was established in 1998 with the generous assistance of the Dickey Center for International Understanding. It was founded in order to facilitate collaborative research on the Tungusic languages and cultures of northern China and Siberia.
All the primary researchers of the Tungusic Research Group are currently involved in fieldwork on Tungusic languages. Lenore Grenoble specializes in Evenki. Her efforts to date have brought her to several locations in Siberia where the Eastern dialect of Evenki is spoken. Lindsay Whaley and Fengxiang Li specialize in Oroqen and have carried out fieldwork in a number of locations in northeastern China.
Information about Tungusic languages and cultures is relatively sparse; what does exist is of variable quality, and some of the best sources are often hard to access. Comparative research has been hindered by language and political barriers. Therefore, two aims of the Tungusic Research Group are to bring scholars from diverse traditions together and to support their work by providing readily accessible information. This site is one initiative we have undertaken to fulfill these aims. Please contact us with suggestions to improve the site or if you are currently researching Tungusic and are aware of related links, relevant information, etc.
The site is still under construction, so some of these links may not contain much information. These are the updates we are working on:

•	The bibliography, which focuses almost exclusively on Tungusic linguistics, is updated frequently (please contact us if you are aware of references we are missing).
•	The map of northern Asia is in an experimental phase. When it is completed, it will show where Tungusic languages and dialects are spoken in some detail. Links on the map will allow the user to discover demographic information about particular Tungusic communities.
•	It may be some time before the dynamic media and texts are available. These will be video and audio clips of Tungusic speakers.
•	The about "About the languages" link provides a general overview of the Tungusic language family.
•	There are a couple of photographs from Oroqen communities. We will add to this as time permits.
•	All the Tungusic languages are seriously threatened and will likely cease to be spoken in the next fifty years. This link provides information on the status of various languages and indicates ways that outsiders can assist Tungusic communities in their language preservation efforts.
•	The searchable data base is currently accessible to everyone. It is essentially a large comparative lexicon which is being updated daily. In order to read the special characters used in the transcription of Tungusic morphemes, IpaTimes font is necessary. At some point, we will be switching to a public domain font. Until then, users without IpaTimes will have trouble interpreting the form of words and morphemes.

2005-2006 Members

Dr. Lenore Grenoble (Dartmouth College, Program in Linguistics and Cognitive Science)

Dr. Lindsay Whaley (Dartmouth College, Program in Linguistics and Cognitive Science

Dr. Fengxiang Li (California State University, Chico, English Department)