Inventory of the Nancy Webb Papers
D-020
Brenda Medina-Hernandez
University of California, Davis General Library, Dept. of Special Collections
2017
1st Floor, Shields Library, University of California
100 North West Quad
Davis, CA 95616-5292
speccoll@ucdavis.edu
URL: https://www.library.ucdavis.edu/special-collections/
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
University of California, Davis General Library, Dept. of Special Collections
Title: Nancy Webb Papers
creator:
Webb, Nancy M.
Identifier/Call Number: D-020
Physical Description:
5.4 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1925-1984
Date (bulk): 1964-1978
Abstract: This collection documents the work of linguistic anthropologist Nancy Matthews Webb (1922-1984). The collection includes materials
on her research and professional activities studying the native languages of California, specifically Pomo and other Hokan
group languages, and her broader work as a linguist. The collection includes glossaries and word lists of various central
Native Californian languages, research and personal reference files, materials related to Webb's education, publications,
language notecards, microfilm, and audio recordings of Webb's interviews with research subjects.
Physical Location: Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.
Biography
Nancy Mathews Webb was born in Connecticut in 1922, and grew up in West Virginia until she moved to Berkeley, where Webb received
her BA in zoology in 1942. After her graduation, Webb moved to Davis to work to work as a Technician and Research Assistant
in the Zoology department. While at Davis, Webb met Albert Dinsmoor "Dinny" Webb, who she married in 1943. The couple moved
to Tennessee where her husband, a chemist, worked on the Manhattan Project. Meanwhile, Webb served as substitute teacher in
English and math rather than in the sciences because she refused to sign a certificate denying evolution, a practiced required
by the state of Tennessee as a result of the Scopes Trial.
The couple moved back to Davis in 1945, where they had two children. After both children went off to college, Nancy Webb enrolled
in the Anthropology Department at UC Davis. After receiving her Master's in with her thesis entitled "Phonology and Noun Morphology
of the Kindibu Dialect of Kikongo" in 1965, she continued with her education. Webb would go on to receive the first Ph.D.
awarded by the UC Davis Anthropology Department in 1969. Under the supervision of David L. Olmsted, Webb wrote her dissertation
entitled "A Statement of Some Phonological Correspondences Among the Pomo Languages." Her work involved field research on
the reconstruction of the Pomo language, but would later encompass the Hokan language group of California. Webb stayed on
as Research Associate for the Anthropology department.
Webb travelled significantly, often accompanying her husband, a distinguished faculty member of the Department of Viticulture
and Enology, who left on sabbaticals to research wine aromas and flavors. Webb used these sabbaticals as an opportunity to
remain engaged in the field of linguistics by studying the Bantu languages in South Africa and Finno-Ugric languages in Helsinki.
The Hokan languages, however, remained her primary research topic.
Nancy Webb passed away in 1984 after succumbing to breast cancer. The Linguistics Department at UC Davis currently offers
an endowed scholarship in her honor.
Scope and Contents
This collection documents the work of linguistic anthropologist Nancy Matthews Webb (1922-1984). The collection spans the
years 1925-1984, with the bulk of the materials falling between 1964 and 1978. The materials cover her research and professional
activities studying the native languages of California, specifically Pomo and other Hokan group languages, and her broader
work as a linguist. The collection includes glossaries and word lists of various central Native Californian languages, research
and personal reference files, materials related to Webb's education, publications, language notecards, microfilm, and audio
recordings of Webb's interviews with research subjects.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into six series: 1. Glossaries and Word Lists; 2. Research and Reference Files; 3. Education; 4.
Professional Activities; 5. Notecards; and 6. Audio Visual Materials.
Access
Collection is open for research.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by archives intern Brenda Medina-Hernandez with help from student assistant Julie Jeon. Liz
Phillips encoded the finding aid.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Nancy Webb Papers, D-020, Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California,
Davis.
Publication Rights
All applicable copyrights for the collection are protected under chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code. Requests for permission
to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California as the owner of the physical items. It is not intended to
include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Anthropological linguistics
Pomo languages -- Phonology
Hokan languages
Webb, Nancy M. -- Archives
University of California, Davis. Department of Anthropology
University of California, Davis -- Faculty -- Archives
Series 1
Glossaries and Word Lists
1925-1981
Physical Description:
0.25 linear feet
Scope and Contents
This series contains glossaries and word lists of various central Native California languages translated into English. Though
Pomo translations represent the bulk of this series, Achomawan, Chumash, Salinan, Esselen, and other languages are represented.
Box 1, Folder 2
Achomawan - English
Februaray 1925
Box 1, Folder 3
Chumash - English
undated
Box 1, Folder 4
Kikongo - French
1936, 1957
Box 1, Folder 7
Salinan-Esselen - English
undated
Box 1, Folder 10
Southern Pomo - English
January 1981
Box 1, Folder 11
Unknown dialect - English
undated
Series 2
Research and Reference Files
1946-1980
Physical Description:
0.75 linear feet
Scope and Contents
This series includes two major groupings: research files and reference files. The bulk of the research files contain her personal
transliteration notes covering the Hokan language group, particularly Pomo. Reference files include journal articles and unpublished
papers within the field of linguistic anthropology written by other scholars, with most of the material covering the Hokan
language group. These materials include some hand-written notes. They are arranged alphabetically by author.
Box 1, Folder 1
Correspondence, Interview Subjects
1965-1979
Box 1, Folder 14
Dobson, Annette J. et al.
undated
Box 1, Folder 15
Goldman-Eisler, Frieda
undated
Box 1, Folder 16
Greenberg, Joseph H.
October 24, 1969
Box 1, Folder 17
Gursky, Karl-Heinz
January 1968
Box 1, Folder 18
Haas, Mary R.
July 1947-October 1952
Box 1, folder 21
Jacobsen, William H. Jr.
1964
Box 1, Folder 22
Jakobson. R. et al.
undated
Box 1, Folder 23
Langdon, Margaret
undated
Box 1, Folder 24
Olmsted, D. L.
December 1951-July 1966
Box 1, Folder 25
Oswalt, Robert L.
December 1961
Box 1, Folder 26
Pinnow, Heinz-Jurgen
July 1968
Box 1, Folder 27
Proulx, Paul
January 1, 1980
Box 1, Folder 28
Sapir, Edward
July 1925-December 1925
Box 1, Folder 29
Science Magazine Clippings: Africa
May 1964-January 1968
Box 1, Folder 30
Science Magazine Clippings: Culture, Personality, and Acculturation
October 1963-June 1967
Box 1, Folder 31
Science Magazine Clippings: Dating and Archaeological Method
January 1964-January 1968
Box 1, Folder 32
Science Magazine Clippings: Europe and Asia
August 1963-September 1967
Box 1, Folder 33
Science Magazine Clippings: History Theory and Method
September 1965-March 1968
Box 1, Folder 34
Science Magazine Clippings: New World
November 1963-January 1968
Box 1, Folder 36
Turner, Paul R.
July 1967
Box 1, Folder 41-43
Hokan Language Group Transliteration Notes
undated
Box 2, Folder 45
Folktale Illustrations
undated
Box 1, Folder 45
Pomo Transliteration Notes
undated
Box 1, Folder 46
Pomo Folktales with Translations
1946
Box 1, Folder 47
Secondary Literature Notes
undated
Series 3
Education
1941-1973
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Contents
This series covers Webb's education pursuing her doctoral degree at UC Davis, with a few course notes from her time at UC
Berkeley. Webb's course notes in Anthropology and Linguistics while at UC Davis represent the bulk of the materials in the
Education series and are arranged alphabetically by course name.
Box 1, Folder 50
Anthropology 101A
undated
Box 1, Folder 51
Anthropology 103B: Culture Growth
1941
Box 1, Folder 52
Anthropology 105: The American Indian
1970
Box 1, Folder 53
Anthropology 110A and 110B
1968-1969
Box 2, Folder 2
Anthropology 124: Religion
1961
Box 2, Folder 4
Anthropology 147: Peoples of the Pacific
1966
Box 2, Folder 5
Anthropology 213: Africa
undated
Box 2, Folder 6
Anthropology 299
January 1965
Box 2, Folder 7
Anthropology 25: Cultural Anthropology
1968
Box 2, Folder 10
Linguistics 110A
1961-1962
Box 2, Folder 11
Linguistics 140: Grammatical Analysis
1968
Box 2, Folder 13
Oriental Languages [sic]
undated
Box 2, Folder 15
Doctoral Program Requirements
October 6, 1965 - March 21, 1967
Box 2, Item 1
Thesis: Phonology and Noun Morphology of the Kindibu Dialect of Kikongo, by Nancy Matthews Webb
1965
Box 2, Item 2
Dissertation: A Statement of Some Phonological Correspondences Among the Pomo Languages, by Nancy M. Webb
undated
Box 2, Folder 43
Society of the Sigma Xi
May 1, 1967 - May 17, 1973
Series 4
Professional Activities
1965-1984
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Contents
This series includes three major groupings: conferences and workshops, papers and publications, and general activities. The
conferences and workshops group contains papers, handouts, and programs interfiled together by conference or workshop and
arranged chronologically. Papers and publications include Webb's published and unpublished materials arranged alphabetically
by title. Correspondence regarding submissions for publication is interfiled with their corresponding articles whenever possible.
The general activities group contains materials covering other professional activities such as manuscript reviews, memberships
in professional societies, and teaching.
Box 2, Folder 16
Conference on Hokan Languages, 1970
April 23 1970 - April 25, 1970
Box 2, Folder 17
Yuman-Hokan Workshop, 1976
June 21, 1976 - June 23, 1976
Box 2, Folder 18
Hokan Workshop, 1978
June 27, 1978 - June 29, 1978
Box 2, Folder 19
Hokan-Penutian Conference, 1980
January 22, 1980 - July 3, 1980
Box 2, Folder 20
Hokan-Penutian Conference, 1981
June 29, 1981 - July 2, 1981
Box 2, Folder 21
Hokan-Yuman Conference Workshops
undated
Box 2, Folder 22
American Anthropological Association: Conference on American Indian Languages
November 15, 1978
Box 2, Folder 23
American Anthropological Association, 1974
November 1974
Box 2, Folder 24
A Preliminary Statement of the Consonant and Correspondences
September 28, 1965
Box 2, Folder 25
A Statement of some Phonological Correspondence Among the Pomo Languages
February 2, 1968 - August 11, 1971
Box 2, Folder 26
A Statement of some Phonological Correspondence Among the Pomo Languages, Copy
undated
Box 2, Folder 27
Esselen-Hokan Relationships
undated
Box 2, Folder 28
Lexical Evidence for Palaihnihan as a Hokan Stock Member
undated
Box 2, Folder 29
On Sonorants in Penutian and some other Nam Languages
June 25, 1980
Box 2, Folder 30
Phonemics and Morphology of the Verbs and Nounds of the Kindibu Dialect of Kikongo
October 8, 1965 - November 15, 1965
Box 2, Folder 31
Phonology and Noun Morphology of the Kindibu Dialect of Kikongo
undated
Box 2, Folder 32
Phonological Correspondences among the Hokan Languages I: Labials
undated
Box 2, Folder 33
Phonological Correspondences of Proto-Lake Pomo
undated
Box 2, Folder 34
Some Proto Hokan Phonological Correspondences
undated
Box 2, Folder 35
Semantic Demain 'tree': Hokan Lexical Evidence
undated
Box 2, Folder 36
Some Proto Jicaque - Proto Hokan Relationships
undated
Box 2, Folder 37
Subtiaba Consonant Development and Hokan Interrelationships
undated
Box 2, Folder 38
Yuman Language Interrelationships: The Lexical Evidence
undated
Box 2, Folder 39
California-Oregon Languages Newsletters and Roster
1978 - June 16, 1981
Box 2, Folder 40
Manuscript Review - Julius Moshinsky
December 16, 1971 - June 1, 1974
Box 2, Folder 41
National Science Foundation
January 28, 1971
Box 2, Folder 42
Society for the Native Languages of the Americas
December 1979 - January 14, 1981
Box 2, Folder 46
Correspondence, Teaching
February 15, 1968 - April 21, 1971
Series 5
Notecards
undated
Physical Description:
3 linear feet
Scope and Contents
This series contains language notecards with English translations.
Box 3
Language Notecards, Unidentified
undated
Scope and Contents
Card boxes 1-6
Box 4
Pomo Language Notecards
undated
Scope and Contents
Card boxes 1-7
Box 4
Salivan Language Notecards
undated
Scope and Contents
Card box 5
Box 5
Language Notecards, Unidentified
undated
Scope and Contents
Unnumbered card box
Box 5
Pomo Language Notecards
Scope and Contents
Card box 1: G-S
Card box 2: S-Z
Box 6, Folder 2
Language Notecards, Unidentified
undated
Box 6, Folder 3-5
Notecards, Hokan Group Comparative Data
undated
Box 6, Folder 6
Notecards, Bibiography
undated
Series 6
Audio Visual Materials
1966-1971
Physical Description:
0.3 linear feet
Scope and Contents
The bulk of this series includes interviews between Webb and her research subjects. Also present are recordings of the 1968
"Long Range Planning Committee" meeting, a currently inactive committee of the American Anthropological Association.
Box 5
BASF Audio tape: 4 Track/R 4.50/X15/Xhosa
undated
Box 5
Microfilm: Jacobson Dissertation on Washoe
undated
Box 5
Microfilm: Eastern Pomo Lang. S. McLendon
undated
Scope and Contents
Possibly "A grammar of Eastern Pomo", Sally McLendon, 1975
Box 5, Item 2
5th REEL LRPC 2nd Inn 28th Feb. 1968 AM and PM/ 2nd Side PM Discussion of Programs
February 1968
Box 5, Item 3
1st BELT 27 Feb 1968 LRPC Meet International Inn. 1st Side: Disc. of Charge 1: Needs. 2nd and Lepawsky Needs
February 1968
Box 5, Item 4
3rd Belt LRPC Meeting Int. Inn. 2-4 Feb '68
February 1968
Box 5, Item 5
Revised II. Cal Nat Res Full 1st Side and Part 2nd Side
February 1968
Box 5, Item 6
4th Reel LRPC Meet 28 Feb 1968
February 1968
Scope and Contents
"First part of Wed morn. Session on 1st side of reel 3- runs over Lepawsky by mistake"
Box 5, Item 7
May 31, 1967 Side 1 and 2. Pomo Central Mrs. Beske .17
May 1967
Box 5, Item 8
April 29, 1967 Side 1 Pomo Northern Mrs. A. Lake/Side 2 Pomo Northern Mrs. A. Lake/2nd of PN
April 1967
Box 5, Item 9
Pomo Central 1967/Side 1 Mrs. A. Knight April 23, Side 2 Mrs. A. Knight April 28
April 1967
Box 5, Item 10
Pomo Central/Side 1 A. Knight April 23, 1967/ Side 2 A. Knight April 28, 1967/ (paths 3 and 4)
April 1967
Box 5, Item 11
P. Eastern 1967/Side 1 M. Gomez April 15/Side 2 M. Gomez April 15
April 1967
Box 5, Item 12
1967/Side 1 Mrs. K Feb 10/Side 2 Mrs. K. Feb. 10
February 1967
Box 5, Item 13
1966/Side 1 Mrs. K April 21/Side 2 Mrs. K April 21
April 1966
Box 5, Item 14
II 1966/Side 1 Mrs. K April 14/Side 2 Mr. K April 14
April 1966
Box 5, Item 15
I 1966/Side 1 April 14 Mrs. K/Side 2 April 14 Mrs. K
April 1966
Box 5, Item 16
1966/Side 1 Mrs. K Feb 15/Side 2 Mrs. K Mar 31
February 1966-March 1966
Box 5, Item 17
1966/Side Mrs. K Feb 15/Side 2 Mrs. K Feb 12?
February 1966-March 1966
Box 5, Item 18
.17/Urdu Nov. 20, 1968
20 November 1968
Box 5, Item 19
Pomo 1/14/66/Pomo Reel 2 1/24/66
January 1966
Box 5, Item 3
(3rd Reel) 27 Feb 1968/LRPC Meet Int. Inn./1st side Lepawsky and Discussion and Evening Disc./2nd Side
February 1968
Scope and Contents
"Part of 1st side overrun with 28 Feb morning session"
Box 5, Item 5
Ag and Matinesi/2 Sides
undated
Box 5, Item 8
Xhosa/N.M.W. and M. Mputa/Spring 1970
1970
Box 5, Item 9
Side I Finnish and Afrikaans
undated
Box 5, Item 10
4th Belt LRPC Meeting Int. Inn 2-4 Feb '68
February 1968
Box 5, Item 11
6th Belt LRPC Meeting Int. Inn, 3 Feb '68
February 1968
Box 5, Item 13
Tracks 1 and 4, Sides 2 and 3/Xhosa
undated
Box 5, Item 15
Xhosa/Tracks 1 and 4, Sides 1 and 2
undated
Box 5, Item 16
1966/Side 1 Mr. K April 14/Side 2 Mr. K April 21
April 1966
Box 5, Item 17
2nd Belt, 27 Feb 1968 LRPC Meet, Int. Inn/1st Side Repawsky, 2nd Side Repawsky and Discussion
February 1968