From harmony (meoauniaea) to brainworm (eltungawng), Paul Frommer Ph.D. ’81 creates a brand new language for the film Avatar.
A Feast of Knowledge
In celebration of the holidays, USC Dornsife scholars explore “feasts” — from celebratory meals to the hidden ingredients of the universe to the brain’s ability to track our dietary activity. Bon appétit!
From USC Dornsife Social Media
The rate of food insecurity in LA County hasn’t changed much since last year. But higher-income Angelenos now make up a growing share.
🔗 Food insecurity remains high in L.A. County, but who it affects is changing
Over the span of 20 years, our Institute of Armenian Studies has grown from a community dream into an academic force — bridging Los Angeles, the Armenian diaspora, and the Republic of Armenia while advancing contemporary research that resonates far beyond campus.
🔗 From community dream to academic force in contemporary Armenian studies
Each year, USC Dornsife’s holiday card celebrates curiosity and creativity in the liberal arts by choosing a theme and examining it through different scholarly perspectives. This year’s theme is “Feasts.” We believe that coming together to share food and stories nourishes more than the body.
Dornsife professors are very committed to the job. 🔭🚀
Professor Nick Warner’s popular GE course is often the last science class many USC students take, and he wants it to be memorable.
As Avatar: Fire and Ash hits theaters, we’re revisiting the story behind Na’vi — a language created by a USC Dornsife alumnus.
To date, Paul Frommer (PhD, linguistics, ’81) estimates there are now more than 3,000 Na’vi words since the original Avatar film debuted more than two decades ago.
“Even though large language models could presumably spit out countless new Na’vi words that would follow my rules, I’d rather go more slowly and just give each word its own thought and make sure that it just feels right to me,” Frommer said in a recent interview.
USC Dornsife in the News: 2025
USC Dornsife is filled with scholars of the highest order, conducting research on some of the most important problems of our age. From traditional media, podcasts and our partnership with The Conversation, USC Dornsife faculty and researchers helped make sense of the world around us.
