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Stephanie Fielding
Born
Stephanie Mugford Fielding
Nationality Mohegan, American
Other names
  • Morning Fire
  • Yôpôwi Yoht
Alma mater
Occupation Linguist, teacher, writer, editor, graphic artist, radio announcer
Known for Reconstruction of the Mohegan language
Notable work
  • A Modern Mohegan Dictionary (2006)
Board member of
  • Norwich Community Development Corp.
  • Endangered Language Fund
Relatives Fidelia Fielding (Great-great-great-aunt)

Stephanie "Morning Fire" Fielding (in the Mohegan language: Yôpôwi Yoht) is a special kind of language expert called a linguist. She is a member of the Mohegan Nation. Her most important work is bringing the Mohegan language back to life. She wants people to speak it again. For one school year, she was a special teacher at Yale University. Stephanie lives on the Mohegan reservation in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Stephanie's Journey to Save a Language

Stephanie Fielding studied languages and people at college. She earned a degree in linguistics and anthropology from the University of Connecticut. She also got a master's degree in linguistics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She was the very first student to finish a special two-year program at MIT. This program was for people from Native communities whose languages were no longer spoken.

Rebuilding the Mohegan Language

For her master's project, Stephanie wrote about the sounds of the Mohegan-Pequot language. She used old diary entries from her relative, Fidelia Fielding. Fidelia was the last person who spoke the Mohegan language fluently. Stephanie's studies helped her figure out how to create new Mohegan words. She used special language rules to make sure the words sounded real and traditional.

In 2006, Stephanie published a book called A Modern Mohegan Dictionary. This book helps people learn Mohegan words. She also created an online project called the Mohegan Language Project. This website is a big part of her work to keep her family's language alive.

Stephanie says the goal of her project is for people to speak Mohegan easily. The website has a Mohegan-English dictionary, common phrases, and a guide to help with pronunciation. It also has exercises and audio recordings. Stephanie told the New York Times that for a language to come back, people need to speak it. She believes a community must work together to make this happen.

Other Work and Contributions

Besides her language work, Stephanie has had many different jobs. She has been a teacher, a writer, and an editor. She has also worked as a graphic artist and a radio announcer. She has helped lead many groups, including schools and media companies. Stephanie often translates English into Mohegan for important ceremonies.

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