Language acquisition and retention among the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians will be examined, and Mississippi State University and Choctaw students will be introduced to this area of linguistics through a) on-campus classes, seminars, and guest lectures, and b) an off-campus, on-reservation field school. The research will provide a comparative base for the study of language shift employing data from Dr. Patricia Kwachka's recent work in Alaskan Native communities. Research in this area is practically nonexistent and offers major theoretical insights to processes of human stability and change. Dr. Kwachka's residence at Mississippi State University will make available instruction and consultation in a scholarly area outside the capacity of their ordinary resources. Through a lower division course, "The Cultural Contexts of Language Learning," and through numerous guest lectures in introductory courses, she will reach women and other minorities before they disassociate themselves from higher education. Most importantly, the active participation of both the Choctaw tribe and Mississippi State University in this project offers a unique opportunity for theoretically significant, locally relevant, cooperative research and instruction. This project furthers VPW program objectives which are (1) to provide opportunities for women to advance their careers in engineering and in the disciplines of science supported by NSF and (2) to encourage women to pursue careers in science and engineering by providing greater visibility for women scientists and engineers employed in industry, government, and academic institutions. By encouraging the participation of women in science, it is a valuable investment in the Nation's future scientific vitality.
