Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

Online Media

Catalog Data

Creator:
Rankin, Robert Louis, 1939-  Search this
Extent:
31.77 Linear feet (55 boxes, 1 map folder)
196 Sound recordings
Culture:
Quapaw Indians  Search this
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Field notes
Date:
1886, 1914, 1956-2011
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.
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.
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.
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
Provenance:
This collection was transferred to the National Anthropological Archives by Robert Rankin's wife, Carolyn Rankin, in 2014.
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.
Rights:
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Topic:
Indians of North America -- Southern states  Search this
Indians of North America -- Great Plains  Search this
Kansa Indians  Search this
Kansa language  Search this
Yuchi language  Search this
Yuchi Indians  Search this
Language and languages -- Documentation  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Field notes
Citation:
Robert Rankin papers, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
NAA.2014-16
See more items in:
Robert Rankin papers
Archival Repository:
National Anthropological Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nw3257614ac-03d5-427a-a906-23acf35a60c6
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-naa-2014-16