Dr. Paul Frommer, creator of the Na'vi language for James Cameron's film "Avatar," will be the featured speaker for the third annual Oklahoma Conversation in the Humanities, a program of the Oklahoma Humanities Council (OHC). The event is free and open to the public and will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa. People from as far away as Illinois and North Carolina are traveling to Tulsa to hear Frommer speak. Frommer will address how important the study of language is to understanding particular cultures. He will also discuss how he developed the Na'vi language and relay anecdotes from working with actors on the movie set. A moderated question and answer session with the audience will follow his remarks.
Malaysia RPCV Dr. Paul Frommer is Creator of "Avatar" language
Creator of "Avatar" language, Na'vi, to speak in Tulsa
Staff Report, N/A
photo: uscnewsletter.com
Dr. Paul Frommer, creator of the Na'vi language for James Cameron's film "Avatar," will be the featured speaker for the third annual Oklahoma Conversation in the Humanities, a program of the Oklahoma Humanities Council (OHC).
The event is free and open to the public and will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa.
People from as far away as Illinois and North Carolina are traveling to Tulsa to hear Frommer speak.
Frommer will address how important the study of language is to understanding particular cultures.
He will also discuss how he developed the Na'vi language and relay anecdotes from working with actors on the movie set. A moderated question and answer session with the audience will follow his remarks.
Frommer is a Professor Emeritus of Clinical Management Communication at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California (USC).
After receiving his undergraduate degree in mathematics, Frommer taught with the U.S. Peace Corps in Malaysia.
He completed his Ph.D. in linguistics at USC, followed by a 10-year stint in corporate business. Returning to USC in the mid-90s, he joined the faculty and served as Director for what is now the Marshall Center for Management Communication from 2005–8.
Frommer is principal co-author, with Edward Finegan, of "Looking at Languages: A Workbook in Elementary Linguistics."
OHC Executive Director Ann Thompson noted that a growing online community has embraced the Na'vi language and worked to expand it beyond the big screen.
"We're delighted to bring Dr. Frommer to Tulsa," Thompson said. "His work on Avatar, the highest grossing movie of all time, demonstrates how relevant the humanities are to aspects of contemporary society."
The OHC is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide meaningful public engagement with the humanitiesdisciplines such as history, literature, film studies, art criticism and philosophy.
As the state partner for the National Endowment for the Humanities, OHC provides teacher institutes, Smithsonian exhibits, reading groups and other cultural opportunities for Oklahomans of all ages.
The Frommer event is designed to appeal to movie-goers and language enthusiasts alike.
With a focus on K-12 education and community building, OHC engages people in their own communities, stimulating discussion and helping them explore the wider world of human experience.
For more information, call the OHC at (405) 235-0280.
