After completing a PhD in Linguistics at the University of York, UK, and working for a couple of years at a university in London, Steve and his wife, Ali joined Wycliffe Bible Translators and spent eight years in a language development project among the Digo people on the south Kenyan coast. For the next six years, Steve taught linguistics and translation at universities and theological colleges in Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic, and also served as a linguistics and translation consultant with SIL. Steve and his family came to Canada in 2013.
Interesting fact: Through his work as a linguistics and translation consultant Steve has had direct involvement in over 60 languages, including some Deaf Sign Languages.
1993–1996. D.Phil. In Linguistics, University of York, UK
1992–1993. Postgraduate Certificate in Education (UK teaching qualification) in English as a Second/Foreign Language, University College of North Wales, Bangor, UK
1988–1992. B.A. in Linguistics with Philosophy, University of York, UK
African languages, Bible translation, language change, text linguistics, semantics and pragmatics
LING 4/691 Discourse Analysis
LING 4/593 Semantics & Pragmatics
LING 555 Historical & Comparative Linguistics
Books
2017. Narrative discourse analysis and Bible translation: Training materials based on Acts 16:16–40. (SIL Forum for Language Fieldwork 2017–001.) https://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/69386
2013. A Grammar of Digo (a Bantu language of Kenya and Tanzania). Dallas: SIL International.
2012. (with Joseph Mwalonya, Alison Nicolle & Juma Zimbu). Mgombato: Digo–Swahili–English Dictionary. 2nd, completely revised edition. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe. (East African Languages and Dialects, Volume16.)
2002. Mihi ihumirwayo ni Adigo (Plants used by the Digo people: a Digo ethnobotany). Kwale, Kenya: Digo Language and Literacy Project.
Selected articles and book chapters
2017. Introduction to special issue on conditional constructions in African languages. Studies in African Linguistics 46.
2015. A comparative study of eastern Bantu narrative texts. SIL Electronic Working Papers 2015–003. http://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/61479
2015. Digo narrative discourse. SIL Language and Culture Documentation and Description 26. http://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/61297
2014. Discourse functions of demonstratives in eastern Bantu narrative texts. Studies in African Linguistics 43(2):125–144. http://sal.research.pdx.edu/PDF/432Nicolle.pdf
2012. Semantic-pragmatic change in Bantu ‑no demonstrative forms. Africana Linguistica 18:193–233.
2012. Diachrony and grammaticalization. In: Robert Binnick (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Tense and Aspect, 370–397. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2011. Pragmatic aspects of grammaticalization. In: Heiko Narrog & Bernd Heine (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Grammaticalization, 401–412. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2011. (with Thomas G. Matthews & Catherine Rountree) Implicit aspects of culture in source and target language contexts. Journal of Translation 7:21–48.
http://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/43392
2009. Go-and-V, come-and-V, go-V and come-V: A corpus-based account of deictic movement verb constructions. English Text Construction 2:185–208.
2000. Markers of general interpretive use in Amharic and Swahili. In: G. Andersen & T. Fretheim (eds.) Pragmatic Markers and Propositional Attitude, 173–188. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
1998. A relevance theory perspective on grammaticalization. Cognitive Linguistics 9:1–35.
As a student of linguistics and Swahili at the University of York (UK), Ali was asked what possible use she could make of such a degree. The answer came in marrying fellow student Steve, joining Wycliffe and serving with the Digo language project in Kenya, Digo being a language closely related to Swahili. During their eight years with the project she enjoyed helping the team turn rough drafts into polished, publishable literacy materials. The family then moved to Nairobi, where she helped produce an in-house journal for BTL (the Kenyan Bible Translation organisation) and took further training in copy-editing. At CanIL she helped launch the Electronic Working Papers and is looking forward to expanding this role, helping students and faculty gain publishing experience.
“As an editor, I don’t see myself as the grammar police, relentlessly searching out criminal acts of language misuse, instead I’m a stylist, helping writers express their arguments as clearly and elegantly as possible.”
Interesting facts: Ali reads dictionaries for fun and loves playing her violin in an orchestra. She led the second violin section for many years in Nairobi Orchestra and is now a regular player in the Fraser Valley Symphony. In addition to Swahili and Digo, Ali has skills in French and German (she lived in Germany for two years as a student), as well as several varieties of English!
Gyoojun is a graduate of the CanIL training program, receiving his Master of Applied Linguistics and Exegesis through ACTS. He also received an M.Div. (equivalent) from ChongShin Theological Seminary in Seoul Korea. He has been serving with Wycliffe Canada since 2005 as a missions mobilizer, mainly working with Korean-Canadian communities across Canada. Gyoojun also has pastoral experience in both Canada and Korea.
Gyoojun is married to Jinsook and they have two children.
Susan was born and raised in Cornwall, Ontario and became a Christian when she was 23. God’s Word was really central in her coming to faith experience, and so she felt that bringing the Bible to a people group that didn’t have it would be a worthwhile way to spend her life. At the same time, she felt a real pull to become a librarian. So, she ended up choosing to serve on the home side of missions with North Africa Mission. It was there that Susan met Dave who was also committed to Bible translation. They were married and went on to serve with Wycliffe in two very different Asian countries for the next 18 years (and raised a couple of MKs in the process!). While in Pakistan, Susan worked as the finance officer for their organization, then as the hospitable wife of the director, and finally as the group’s technical librarian. In Thailand, Susan served as cashier and doing clerical duties, and was sad that she never had the chance to sort out the neglected group library.
In 2006, Susan and her husband Dave were assigned to CanIL. And she found herself proclaimed ‘keeper of the library collection!’ Susan shares, “I love being part of the team at CanIL preparing the next generation of Bible translators and linguists. I see my particular contribution as stewarding the best resource collection I can in order to help faculty, staff and students grow into God’s calling on their lives.”
Interesting facts: Along with living in Canada and the U.S.A., Susan has lived in Pakistan and Thailand with her family. While her Urdu is a bit rusty, she still maintains good comprehension of the language.
Shirley became a member of Wycliffe in 1965. Yes, she was recently honored for 50 years of service! After her initial training, Shirley was assigned to work in the Philippines. For two years, she was part of the Central Ifugao language project where she learned the language and began constructing a primer to teach adults literacy skills. Then, the Philippines SIL administration asked her to leave that project and take over the management of the Publications department for the Branch, which published scripture and literacy materials. Shirley did that for many years, tallying up the typesetting of over 55 New Testament translations. In 2006, Shirley returned to Canada and joined the staff at CanIL.
Shirley now enjoys volunteering in many capacities at CanIL. Supporting our financial aid program has been especially rewarding as she interacts with students and helps them receive financial assistance, often finishing their education debt free.
Interesting facts: Shirley lived many years in the Philippines, and is conversant in Central Ifugao. She has lived and worked in both Canada and the USA as well.
Ellen is one of the two part-time receptionists at Canada Institute of Linguistics. She enjoys her work at reception and being the ‘face of CanIL’ to greet and meet students, visitors, faculty, delivery folks, security personnel and others. She cheerfully answers and redirects phone calls. Ellen also interacts with our alumni who are now serving all over the world.
Ellen loves the opportunity to hear field reports, meet alumni who are back visiting, and interact with current students who are studying and preparing to head to a field location. Through her contribution to the community life and atmosphere of CanIL, she is helping raise up the next generation of students to serve minority-language communities worldwide.
Interesting facts: Ellen and her husband, Rod, lived many years in Ghana, and also spent one year in Côte d’Ivoire.
Larry counts it a privilege to work with highly motivated young people who want to serve in a variety of language development roles around the world. His interest in linguistics was sparked while studying biology. He found the two fields very similar in terms of their examination of form or structure and the functions of those structures. Larry had some proficiency in French and learned a tiny bit of Japanese (most favorite food items!) while growing up and has been exposed to a number of languages over the years while software consulting with SIL International and in Field Methods classes. In his travels, Larry has lived in Belgium, Cameroon, Texas, Oregon, Alberta and British Columbia.
Larry loves working with dictionaries (a field called lexicography), discovering unique aspects of each language as people try to fit the data into a variety of linguistic databases. Both Larry and his wife Kim love to spend time with students outside of the classroom, whether over a meal or in a game of ultimate frisbee. Larry has an IT background and has been involved in the development of a number of linguistic software applications. Larry says, “Whether serving overseas, in software development or in training, I find that God continues to accompany and direct me and my family on a journey towards deeper love and greater freedom through Him.”
1991. M.A. Linguistics, University of Oregon
1986. B.Ed. Secondary Sciences, University of Alberta
1984. B.Sc. Biology, University of Alberta
Assistant Vice President of Administration
Linguistics Instructor – LIN(G) 4/580 Field Methods: Data Management and Analysis, LIN(G) 587 Lexicography
Language Software Development and Training
Summer@CanIL leadership team
2001-present. CanIL – Language Software Development and Training. Comparalex, Phonology Assistant, FieldWorks Language Explorer development.
2008-2015. CanIL Director of Communications
1998-2003. Summer Oregon SIL – Field Methods staff and IT support
1996-2001. SIL International, Dallas, TX. Language Software Developer LinguaLinks, FieldWorks
1995-1996. SIL Cameroon. Language Studies Department. Archivist and language studies reports manager.
1994. Brussels, Belgium. French language study.
1991-92. Retail computer consultant
Functional typological linguistics
Language software development for descriptive linguistics
FieldWorks development: http://fieldworks.sil.org
Phonology Assistant development: http://phonologyassistant.sil.org
Comparative African Wordlist Project: http://wordlist.canil.ca
Sm’algyax Living Legacy Talking Dictionary: http://smalgyax.unbc.ca/
Snider, Keith & Larry Hayashi. 2015. Comparalex – an online comparative word list database. Poster presented at the Linguistic Society of America 2015 Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon. http://www.linguisticsociety.org/abstract/comparalex-online-comparative-wordlist-database.
Hayashi, L., Hatton, J., & Moe, R. 2011. A proposed work-flow and software toolset for community dictionary development and distribution. In K. Akasu & S. Uchida (Eds.), Lexicography: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives. pp. 150-159. Presented at the ASIALEX 2011, Kyoto Terrsa, Kyoto, Japan: The Asian Association for Lexicography.
Snider, Keith; and Larry Hayashi 2006. “The Comparative African Wordlist Project” presented at the 37th Annual Conference on African Linguistics (ACAL 2006), Univeristy of Oregon, Eugene.
Maxwell, Mike, Gary Simons and Larry Hayashi. 2002. “A morphological glossing assistant.” In Peter Austin, Helen Dry and Peter Wittenburg (eds.), Proceedings of the International LREC Workshop on Resources and Tools in Field Linguistics, Las Palmas, 26-27 May 2002, 25-1 through 25-10: ISLE and DoBeS. (http://papers.ldc.upenn.edu/LREC2002/Morph_Gloss_Asst.pdf)
Hayashi, Larry S.; and John Hatton. 2001. “Combining UML, XML and relational database technologies – the best of all worlds for robust linguistic databases”. In Proceedings of the IRCS Workshop on Linguistic Databases , eds. Steven Bird; Peter Buneman; and Mark Liberman, 115-124. Philadelphia: Institute for Research in Cognitive Science.
http://www.ldc.upenn.edu/annotation/database/papers/Hayashi_Hatton/23.3.hayashi.pdf
Hayashi, Larry S. 2000 “Discovering and testing linguistic generalizations using interactive concordances”. In electronic Proceedings of the Talkbank Linguistic Exploration Workshop: New Methods for Creating, Exploring and Disseminating Linguistic Field Data. Chicago.
Hayashi, Larry S. 1991. Thesis. The relationship between event perception, dishabituation of neural models and progressive aspect in English. University of Oregon.
Hayashi, Larry S. 1989. ms. Conjunctions and referential continuity. University of Oregon. Research results cited in Givón, Talmy. 1984. Syntax : a functional-typological introduction. Amsterdam; Philadelphia: J. Benjamins Pub. Co. pp.849-850.
LING-LIN 587 Lexicography
LING-LIN 580 Field Methods: Data Management & Analysis
LING 480 Field Methods: Data Management & Analysis
Wanda’s career with Wycliffe Bible Translators began in Mexico over 60 years ago! After 10 years of teaching missionary children and involvement in a language development program in a Chinantec language, Wanda earned her M.A. in Linguistics from the University of Texas at Arlington. After that, she transferred to the new work in Sudan and spent 28 years with the Sudan Branch. While in Sudan, Wanda took part in a bilingual education project, facilitated a mother tongue translation project and served as Language Programs Coordinator for work in languages that are now in the new country of South Sudan. Since it was not always possible to reside in Sudan itself, she lived 2 years in Uganda and 7 years in Kenya working with Sudanese who were refugees in those countries. In addition, Wanda developed and taught linguistic courses at Pan Africa Christian College in Nairobi for 4 1/2 years.
For the past 18 years Wanda has been teaching CanIL’s set of literacy courses, first in the classroom and now only online. She finds her training role at CanIL very rewarding saying, “Here I have a small part in preparing many others to help make God's Word accessible to people groups around the world.”
Interesting facts: Wanda has lived outside of North America more years than within it, and besides her mother tongue of English, she has learned to speak Spanish and 3 non-Indo-European languages to level 2 or above.
1977. M.A. in Linguistics at University of Texas, Arlington
1968. Graduate Certificate in Bible at Multnomah School of the Bible
1967. Washington State Teaching Certificate from Seattle Pacific University
1964. BA Spanish from Seattle Pacific University
Over 40 years of field experience with SIL in literacy and Bible translation, including developing and teaching training courses for teachers and translators, and linguistic, literacy and translation courses for 2 African university programs. At CanIL she is now on the team that is developing and teaching the new course on Orthography Development.
1989. Adapting the Gudschinsky Method to Sudanese Languages, Wanda Pace, Notes on Literacy 60, SIL.
1990. Some Practical Applications of the Global Approach to Gudschinsky Materials, Wanda Pace, Notes on Literacy 63, SIL.
1990. "Comaltepec Chinantec tone", Judi Lynn Anderson, Isaac H. Martinez and Wanda Pace, in SYLLABLES, TONE, AND VERB PARADIGMS, ed. by William R. Merrifield and Calvin R. Rensch, Studies in Chinantec Languages 4, SIL and UTA.
1990. "Comaltepec Verb Inflection", Wanda Jane Pace, in SYLLABLES, TONE AND VERB PARADIGMS, ed. by William R. Merrifield and Calvin R. Rensch, Studies in Chinantec Languages 4, SIL and UTA.
1981. Occasional Papers in the Study of Sudanese Languages, No. 1, ed. by E.M. Yokwe and Wanda Pace, College of Education, Univ. of Juba, and SIL and IRL.
1982. ____, No. 2, edited by Wanda Pace, SIL and IRL.
1984. ____, No. 3, ed. by Richard Watson and Wanda Pace, SIL and IRL.
Spanish (level 4)
Comaltepec Chinantec (level 4 at that time)
Ndogo (a language of South Sudan, level 3)
Juba Arabic (a creole trade language of South Sudan, level 2)
KiSwahili (level 1)
LING-LIN 4/572 Orthography Development
LING-LIN 4/584 OL Principles in Literacy
LING-LIN 582 OL Issues in Community Literacy
LING-LIN 588 OL Literacy Materials Development
Doug and his wife Cindy began working with Wycliffe Bible Translators as short-term assistants in 1987. They served a four year term in the Philippines from 1998 to 1992. In 1992, they became members of Wycliffe, returning to the Philippines in 1993, where Doug served as Manager of Software Development and Training. Since 2002, Doug has served at CanIL in IT, first as the Manager, and later as Director of Strategic Data and Technology Services.
B.App.Sc. University of British Columbia
Michelle Petersen (M.A. Language Development/Scripture Engagement, summa cum laude B.A. French/TESOL) has served with Wycliffe since 1989. She has worked in Literacy and Scripture Engagement across West and Central Africa and taught Linguistics and Scripture Engagement in Europe and North America. As a Literacy Specialist, she taught Sango people to teach and supervise Sango literacy classes in 116 Central African churches. As a Scripture Engagement Specialist, she worked with local pastors, musicians, scriptwriters, actors and 58 radio stations in Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso creating and airing Scripture-infused dramas and songs. She is an SIL International Scripture Engagement Consultant. American Bible Society certified her as a Trauma Healing Training Facilitator. Michelle helped create the curriculum for the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics’ M.A. in World Arts, and wrote parts of the textbooks Worship and Mission for the Global Church and Creating Local Arts Together. She presented papers at conferences in North America and Europe.
Michelle says, “I love working with CanIL’s motivated, gifted students. It’s my privilege to be a small part of their lives. I love teaching Scripture Engagement because it’s a big-picture course that helps students see the relevance of all their other courses to encourage a community’s use of Scripture.”
Interesting facts: Michelle's field work has been in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Senegal.
Languages spoken: French, Jula of Côte d'Ivoire.
2006. M.A., Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics, Texas.
1992. Literacy Specialist training, University of Texas at Arlington, Texas.
1988. B.A., University of Utah.
Present - World Arts and Scripture Engagement Associate Instructor at the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics, Dallas, TX.
2008-present. Scripture Engagement Summer Instructor, Canada Institute of Linguistics, BC.
2002, 2004–2006. Scripture Engagement Summer Instructor, Oregon Summer Institute of Linguistics, Eugene, Oregon.
2000 and 2003 (summers). FLTE (Faculté libre de théologie évangélique,) Vaux-sur-Seine, France,taught SIL Phonetics course in French.
1998. Literacy Methods course, co-taught with Vreni Hoeffer, CEFCA Theological Seminary, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
1997 (summer). Cours d’introduction à la linguistique, Tête de Ran, Switzerland, taught Literacy and Language and Culture Acquisition in French.
1995-1996 (summer). Cours d’introduction à la linguistique, Lamorlaye, France, taught Sociolinguistics and Language and Culture Acquisition in French.
1993-1996. Sango Literacy Teacher Training Workshops and Literacy Supervisor Workshop co-taught with Isaac Bele and Sango Writers’ Workshop co-taught with Elke Karan, Bangui, Central African Republic.
LIN 575 Scripture Engagement
