Introducing Linguistic Anthropology

Antropological linguistics

“Krazy Kat Comic Strip - 1918

Introducing Linguistic Anthropology

• Anthropology…
• Anthropos – logos (logia)

Anthropology is Holistic

• Four Fields:
• Archaeology
• Physical Anthropology
• Cultural Anthropology
• Linguistic Anthropology
• Applied Anthropology
• A fifth field or a second dimension?

Cultural Diversity - Food

What is a Taco?

But some foods can seem a bit “funny”

…even a bit ugly.

You might even wonder if you want to eat it?

Anthropology is Comparative

• Ethnocentrism
• frames of reference
• Cultural Relativity
• Commonalities

Anthropology is Fieldwork-based

• Living in another culture
• Participating in everyday activities
• Adapting to new frames of reference
• Learning ‘inside’ view.

• New Guinea, 2001

Theoretical Linguistics is:

• Focused
• On underlying structures and rules
• Specific
• Deducing universal rules from specific languages
• Rule from English: if O follows V, then use Prep
• To see the cat in the tree
• BUT
• Huona mpaha mwiri-juu
• Intuitive
• Using your own language as a source of data.

Boas and Fieldwork

• Language vs culture vs race
• Language as window into culture
• Language as necessary for fieldwork.

• Franz Boas, 1900, posing for model of Kwakiutl dancer

Some Fieldwork Concerns

• Culture shock
• Illness
• Ethics
• Mitchell

• Wedding preparations, Domoni, 1985