Intimate Grammars: A Diné Navajo Poetry Panel

The University of South Carolina Department of Anthropology will present a keynote lecture event in honor of Native American Heritage Month on Friday, November 4, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. “Intimate Grammars: A Diné Navajo Poetry Panel” will illuminate the Diné culture and the power of intimate grammar poetry. South Carolina Humanities supported this program with a Major Grant in September 2016.

The “Intimate Grammars” program will feature poet Laura Tohe, poet Rex Lee Jim, and linguistic anthropologist Dr. Anthony Webster, author of Intimate Grammars: An Ethnography of Navajo Poetry. The event will take place at the McKissick Museum (816 Bull St, Columbia, SC 29208) and will start with a reception at 5:30 p.m., and the panel discussion will begin at 6:30 p.m. A book signing will follow. The event is free and open to the public.

intimategrammarscollage
Image: Laura Tohe and Rex Lee Jim

“Intimate Grammar” is the emotionally-saturated use of language that is deeply and expressively meaningful for individuals but may run the risk of negative evaluation by outsiders or non-outsiders. Some examples include Navajo English, African American Vernacular English, and Chicano Spanish.

Supporters of this program include the USC Department of Anthropology, the USC Linguistics Colloquium Series, the USC Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, Write to Change, and AGORAE. More information can be found on the event listing here: https://www.facebook.com/events/518788508329544/.

The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c) 3 organization is governed by a volunteer 22-member Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state. It presents and/or supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 250,000 citizens annually.

Photo by Dr. Anthony Webster was taken on the Navajo Nation