James R. Nattinger was a highly respected PSU linguistics professor, known for his research, his teaching, and his leadership at the university. When he died in 1995, he had worked at PSU for 24 years. In 1988 he played a crucial role in establishing the Department of Applied Linguistics. Indeed, if there had been no Jim Nattinger, there would very likely be no PSU Department of Applied Linguistics.
Becoming a department was a natural progression for the linguistics program, which had been housed in the English Department, but a new department was also a major administrative challenge. "He effected a minor miracle," a colleague recalled of Dr. Nattinger's role in establishing the department. As the driving force, Dr. Nattinger was also uniquely qualified to be the first chair of the department, a position he held until illness forced him to retire in 1995.
The highlight of Dr. Nattinger’s many professional honors was the 1992 Duke of Edinburgh English Language Award, presented to Dr. Nattinger and his co-author and colleague Dr. Jeanette DeCarrico by Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace. The annual award recognizes the book that has contributed most to our understanding of the English language and English language teaching. Dr. Nattinger and Dr. DeCarrico earned the award for their book Lexical Phrases and Language Teaching, which showed that lexical phrases can serve as a basis for second language learning. The book was an insightful early contribution to the study of formulaic language, which has since become a popular focus of research.
Among other professional activities, Dr. Nattinger taught in Barcelona and Buenos Aires, where he was a Fulbright-Hayes lecturer. In 1981 he set up an English teaching program at Wuhan University in China, beginning a relationship between Portland State and Chinese learning institutions. In 1986 he won the Burlington Northern Teaching Excellence Award as PSU Teacher of the Year. He was a member of Phi Sigma Iota, the national foreign language honor society, a visiting professor at the University of Washington in 1985, and president of Oregon TESOL. He was also an accomplished flautist, a lover of opera, an avid gardener, and an amateur lepidopterist, collecting and raising rare moths from around the world and providing specimens for zoos.
On Dr. Nattinger's death, the Nattinger Scholarship was established with the help of friends and colleagues, honoring his lifetime of excellence in scholarship and teaching, and his dedication to students. In 2020, on the 25th anniversary of his death, colleagues and students shared some of their memories of Dr. Nattinger:
“His sociolinguistics course was standing room only. Literally, people were standing in the back of the room. His teaching was just so…enthralling.”
“I am so thankful that he was my boss when I started working at PSU - he treated and supported all who worked for him so well.”
“He was a great dancer. Really – he was famous for being an amazing dancer!”
“I know what a good teacher and scholar he was, what a positive impact he had, and how much he valued students, and I was lucky to see that with my own eyes when I was at PSU.”
Although Dr. Nattinger is no longer here to support students personally, the Nattinger Scholarship provides crucial financial support, allowing outstanding MA TESOL students to focus on their education and professional development without worrying as much about how to pay for it. Please help us continue to support talented new applied linguists by donating to the fund. Every donation, even a small amount, helps.