The Instituto Lingüístico de Verano (ILV) has a history of more than sixty years of service in Mexico. In 1960 the first twenty-five years were celebrated, an occasion on which the well-known anthropologist, Juan Comas, from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, wrote about the work of the Institute:

"A selfless and humane work, that has received and continues to receive the support of all people, institutions and governments that put before any cause the well-being of the indigenous peoples." (Mexico City, January 2, 1960)

Dictionaries and grammars

During the past twenty-five years, twenty dictionaries have been published in the Vocabularios Indígenas "Mariano Silva y Aceves" series (bringing the total to more than forty on languages of Mexico).

Dictionaries published in the past twenty-five years:

Chinanteco de S. J. Lealao (1996)
Ch'ol (1978)
Cuicateco (1983)
Huave de San Mateo del Mar (1981)
Mazateco de Chiquihuitlán (1996)
Mixe de Coatlán (1993)
Mixteco de S. J. Colorado (1986)
Mixteco del E. de Jamiltepec (1974)
Popoloca de S. J. Atzingo, Pue. (1995)
Popoluca de Oluta (1981)
Totonaco de Papantla (1973)
Totonaco de Xicotepec de Juárez (1974)
Triqui de Chicahuaxtla (1978/1979)
Tzotzil de San Andrés (1978)
Zapoteco de Juárez (1983)
Zapoteco de Mitla (1991)
Zapoteco de Yatzachi el Bajo (1997)
Zoque de Copainalá (1981)
Zoque de Rayón (1984)
Zoque de Francisco León (1987)

Two works, published by the Institute, that have greatly facilitated the production of indigenous language dictionaries are: Bilingual Dictionaries for Indigenous Languages and A Spanish-English Glossary of Mexican Flora and Fauna.

In addition, seven grammars have been published in a companion series to the dictionaries.

Grammars published in the past twenty-five years:

Ch'ol (1980)
Náhuatl de Mecayapan, Ver. (1981)
Zapoteco de Yatzachi el Bajo (1980)
Mazateco de Chiquihuitlán, Oax. (1988)
Mixteco de Atatlahuca, Oaxaca (1980)
Otomí de la sierra (1979/1985)
Totonaco de Xicotepec de Juárez, Pue. (1991)

For the Archive of Mexican Indigenous Languages, currently published by the Colegio de México, the Instituto Lingüístico de Verano linguists have contributed twelve volumes:

Chatino de la zona alta (1997)
Chinanteco de S. Juan Lealao (1980)
Chocho de Sta. Catarina Ocotlán (1977)
Chontal de la sierra (1980)
Huave de S. Mateo del Mar (1983)
Mazateco de Chiquihuitlán (1978)
Mixe de Tlahuitoltepec (1980)
Mixteco de Sta. Maria Peñoles (1977)
Seri de Sonora (1996)
Trique de S. Juan Copala (1975)
Zapoteco del Istmo (1974)
Zoque de Chimalapa (1980)

Doctoral dissertations and masters' theses

During this time, various members have written their master's theses or doctoral dissertations about the following indigenous languages of Mexico: Cora, Chinantec, Mayo, Mixtec, Nahuatl, Seri, Tepehua, Tepehuan, Triqui, Zapotec and Zoque. Through this research they were granted advanced degrees from universities in Mexico and other countries.

Other scholarly books

During these years the Institute produced books describing: Uto-Aztecan grammar (four volumes); Mixtec grammar (four volumes); various topics in Chinantec languages (five volumes); verb conjugation in Zapotec; Tepehuan, Tlapanec and Otomi grammar; Triqui and Zapotec mythology, and more.

Articles in historical and technical journals

Articles about Mexican indigenous languages have appeared in journals such as: Tlalocan, Anales de Antropología (UNAM), International Journal of American Linguistics, Linguistic Inquiry, and Cognitive Linguistics.

Materials that promote reading in indigenous languages

Hundreds of pamphlets, booklets and books have been created to promote the preservation of oral literature and original compositions, and to encourage literacy in indigenous languages.

Consultants and faculty

Members of the Instituto Lingüístico de Verano in Mexico have collaborated with organizations and institutions (national and international), such as: the National School of Anthropology and History; UNAM; the Colegio de México; the University of Veracruz; Madero University; the University of the Americas; the National Institute of Anthropology and History; the University of North Dakota; the University of Oklahoma; the University of Oregon; and the University of Lima, teaching courses in linguistics and applied computer science.

Participation in linguistic conferences

Members of the Instituto Lingüístico de Verano have participated in both national and international conferences, such as: the Round Table on Otomangean Languages; the Biennial Conference of Oaxacan Studies; Mixtec Writers' Conference; the Round Table of the Mexican Society of Anthropology; the Linguistic Society of America; the International Congress of the Americas; Society for the Study of Indigenous Languages of the Americas; the Swadesh Conference; the International Cognitive Linguistics Association; the International Conference of Linguistics in the Northwest; the symposium "Toponymy: the Names of the Towns of the Northwest"; the Association of Linguistics and Philology of Latin America, and others.

Community service projects

During the past three decades, volunteers from the Institute have worked with various communities on projects benefiting the community at large, such as helping to provide potable water, soil improvement, and (in Mitla, Oaxaca) a sewage treatment system.

Annual donation of books to libraries and institutions

Since its inception, ILV has had a practice of placing copies of its most important publications in various national libraries and government offices with whom it has made agreements for the exchange of books. These institutions include El Colegio de México, the Institute of Anthropological Investigation at UNAM, the National Indian Institute, the Office of Indigenous Education at the Department of Education, the Interamerican Indian Institute, the Center for Investigation and Studies in Social Anthropology, the National School of Anthropology and History, the National Institute of Anthropology and History, among others.

In 1996 a special collection was instituted at the Juan Comas Library in the Institute for Anthropological Investigations at UNAM, called "The William Cameron Townsend Collection," which includes hundreds of publications by ILV written about or in the indigenous languages of Mexico and other countries.

In 1996, two nearly complete collections of the translations of the New Testament into more than 90 of the indigenous languages of Mexico, along with grammars and dictionaries in those same languages, were donated to the Universidad Pontificia and to the Seminario Mayor in Mexico City.

In 1997 another collection was donated to the House of Writers in Indian Languages.

Recognition of distinguished persons

In 1978 the founder of the Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, William Cameron Townsend, was honored by the government of Mexico with the commendation of the Aztec Eagle.

Dr. Kenneth Pike, one of the Institute's first investigators, who began his studies with the Mixtec languages and who has since collaborated with linguists all over the world, has had the honor of being officially nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize each year since 1982. In 1985 he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in the United States, an honor given only to the most distinguished of scientists. (See the SIL International Kenneth L. Pike site.)

After teaching courses for many years in various Mexican institutions such as the National School of Anthropology and History, Dr. Velma Pickett was honored at UNAM in 1990 by many of those who had been her students during the 45 plus years she lived in Mexico.

Legal status

The "Instituto Lingüístico de Verano" (Summer Institute of Linguistics) is a Civil Association under Mexican law, founded in 1948 to serve the indigenous people of Mexico by sponsoring the study of the indigenous languages of the country by means of volunteer investigators from Mexico and other countries.

In August of 1951, the Secretary of Public Education and the Institute signed an agreement to develop a joint program for collaboration in the investigation of the indigenous languages of Mexico. En 1979, at the request of SEP, Dr. Townsend canceled this agreement. After the cancellation, the visas of non-Mexican investigators working with the Institute under temporary papers were not renewed as they had been during the years of the agreement. Other researchers (nationals, residents and immigrants), remained in the country. Later, the Secretary of Gobernación resumed the issuing of visas to linguists who work voluntarily with the Institute.

By an official decree in 1960, the federal government granted the Institute a 30-year grant to use land in Tlalpan, D.F., to develop an administrative center for the work of the Instituto Lingüístico de Verano in Mexico. On this land the Institute built various office buildings in accordance with this decree. After the earthquake of 1985 and at the request of the government, these facilities were turned over to the government two years ahead of schedule. In an official ceremony presided over by the Under-secretary of Public Education on February 21, 1989, the government recognized the altruistic work of the Institute on behalf of the indigenous groups of Mexico and the commitment of ILV to the promotion of the well-being of these people.

Today, the Institute and its volunteers continue in dedicated service to the country of Mexico, working with academic institutions and the government in the same spirit of cooperation as always.