The Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association (PAMLA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association, is dedicated to the creation, advancement, and diffusion of the aesthetic practices and knowledge of ancient & modern languages, literature, media, culture, and the arts.

PAMLA hosts an annual conference, publishes two issues of its peer-reviewed journal, Pacific Coast Philology, and hosts online events and the PAMLA Arts Matter website.

PAMLA has existed as a Humanities and Arts non-profit association for over 125 years. The Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association was affiliated at its founding as the Philological Association of the Pacific Coast in 1899 with the American Philological Association, and since 1917 with the Modern Language Association. But PAMLA is an independent association and thus receives no funds from any host institution or government entity, including the MLA.

On November 5, 1994, in San Francisco, the members of the Association voted to change the name of the association to the Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association. PAMLA retained “Ancient” as part of its title (unlike other regional MLA affiliates) to indicate that even as it broadened its scholarly focus, it continued its dedication to the study of classical (ancient) languages and literatures (such as Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Ancient Chinese, and other older languages and texts), alongside modern languages, literatures, media, arts, and cultural studies.

The Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association is committed to academic freedom, civil discourse, and free speech in our association and at our annual PAMLA conference. Please see our Code of Conduct and Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Statements.

Please contact Craig Svonkin, PAMLA Executive Director (director@pamla.org), with questions concerning PAMLA policies or practices or should you wish to join or donate to the association.

Anyone interested in creative writing, language, literary or cultural studies, media or film studies, or the arts may become a PAMLA member: see Membership.