This is the Official Website of:

		δεα&delta τonguεs

A Short History of Dead Tongues

In 1980 or 1981 (no one remembers which), Geoffrey Nunberg and Ivan Sag (who were coteaching an undergraduate introduction to linguistics at the time) were encouraged by then UG major Sheila Leary to enter the Faculty talent show that she was organizing: Professors in Performance. Together with drummer Jim Sallis (a psychologist) and bassist Jim Willson (an electrical engineer), they formed the first version of the band that came to be known (after a department-wide contest to name it) as `Dead Tongues'. Ivan has played keyboards (and done some singing) in every incarnation of the band and Peter Sells has been its bass player since his arrival at Stanford in 1984, apart from a brief hiatus in the early 1990s.

During the 1980s, DTs underwent considerable musical evolution, as well as changes of personnel (see the DT Alumni listings), playing at various campus events, private parties, and outdoor concerts. The band even had a regular gig for a while at the B-Street Bar and Grill, a `gay bar' in San Mateo. During this time, the band usually had a `chick singer' and a horn section. In 1989, DTs made their first road trip, flying to Tucson to perform at the Linguistic Institute hosted by the University of Arizona. The band broke up in 1991 and remained dormant for almost a decade.

It was in 2000, when the department needed music for the IGALA conference party, that the modern incarnation of the band first emerged. Actually it was cobbled together from local folks and conference participants, but was so much fun that Dead Tongues has been going strong ever since. Dan Jurafsky's arrival to Stanford in 2004 marked the first time that all members of DTs were affiliated with the Linguistics Department, as has been the case ever since. In 2005-2006, we performed four times, including a gig at the 2005 MIT-Harvard Linguistic Institute, where we had 200 linguists drinking and dancing late into the night. This remained as the band's zenith until the 2007 Linguistic Institute, held at Stanford, where the experience was even more spectacular. You had to be there...

Are we a garage band? Hell yes! Here's the pictures to prove it: singers in the garage, faculty meeting in the garage.

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Members:

As of September 9, 2007, we're looking for a new lead guitarist. Sadly, we're also looking for a new bassist to replace Peter Sells. More information about the 2007 version of the band can be found HERE.

Recent Gigs

• September 8, 2007. The West Coast Staum/Casasanto wedding celebration party, whose location follows from independently motivated principles.
• July 21, 2007. Linguistic Institute Party at Cordura Hall on campus. PICTURES HERE
• July 7, 2007. Linguistic Institute Party at the 750 Pub on campus. PICTURES HERE
• June, 2007. Linguistics Department Party. Videos to appear. PICTURES HERE
• March, 2007. Linguistics Department Open House Party.

Previous Gigs

These URLs have some pictures and some video downloads:

• June, 2006. Linguistics Department Party. Pictures downloadable HERE. Downloads, DVDs, and CDs are in the works.
• March, 2006. Linguistics Department Open House Party. You had to be THERE, too.
• July, 2005. MIT Linguistic Institute Party. You had to be there.
• June, 2005. Linguistics Department Party. A DVD is available.
• 2001 Linguistics Department Party.
• 2002 NWAV Party.

Press:

• The Stanford Daily did a piece on Dead Tongues on February 21, 2002. Check that out HERE.

Bookings:

Sure, we might be willing/able to play for your party, assuming it sounds like fun, that we're all in town on that date, etc. To discuss, contact Ivan: sag at stanford dot edu

Last modified: Sun Sept 9 2007