The Ken Pike Endowment Fund
Dr. Kenneth Pike, a linguist with the Summer
Institute of Linguistics, is recognized world-wide for his academic
achievements especially in the area of linguistics and indigenous language
development. In 1996 Dr. Pike was nominated for the 15th consecutive year
for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Dr. Pike authorized a fund in his name which will provide funding for scholarships, training, travel to professional conferences, technical and academic publications, research on minority languages, and other activities designed to benefit language communities speaking endangered languages.
Context and rationale
There are currently an estimated 6,912 languages in the world, of which the enormous majority (62%) are in Africa and Asia. The Summer Institute of Linguistics has carried out linguistic research in 1,359 languages. At present SIL is actively working in more than 50 countries, in 889 languages, carrying out work in linguistic, literacy, community development, anthropology, and other areas.
SIL has completed linguistic and literacy work in over 300 languages and current active SIL programs now number almost 1000. The SIL Bibliography lists 1,300 technical monographs, 144 published doctoral dissertations, 165 published master's theses and more than 5,000 article-length publications. Over 6,000 local language books and booklets have been completed.
In 1935 William Cameron Townsend (the founder of SIL) led a small group of young people into Mexico to begin studying its many Amerindian languages. Among them was Kenneth L. Pike who began work that year on the Mixteco language in a remote village in the state of Oaxaca. This work launched Pike into the study of tonal systems and phonology and eventually led to his work on language and society. Kenneth Pike served as President of the Summer Institute of Linguistics until 1978. He is internationally known not only for his personal work on dozens of lesser known languages but also for stimulating thousands of other researchers to do likewise. This fund is being set up to provide a lasting tribute to Dr. Pike's enduring and pioneering leadership.
Where will the funds go?
These funds will be used to strengthen the academic work of SIL. This will include resources for scholarships, training, travel to professional conferences, technical and academic publications, research on minority languages, and other activities designed to benefit language communities speaking endangered languages. The fund will not be used to support routine administrative budgets or activities.
The fund will be an endowment, that is the capital of the fund will be invested and then the interest will be used to support funded activities, thus ensuring a continuous supply into the future.