Exploring Ethnography of Communication: Understanding Speaking and Social Interaction

Course T Course Title: Ethnography of Communication ( itle: Ethnography of Communication (EoC EoC) )

Objectives of the course: Objectives of the course: 1. 1.Demystify the notions of Demystify the notions of EoC EoC and Speaking and Speaking 2. 2.Highlight the main goals of Highlight the main goals of EoC EoC and its scope and its scope 3. 3. Overview the use of Ethnography in Overview the use of Ethnography in EoC EoC

-Born in June 7, 1927 Died in November 13, 2009 -Research Interests: Anthropology, Native American mythology, Ethnography of communication DELL HYMES

What is meant by Ethnography of Communication? What is meant by Ethnography of Communication? The The ethnography ethnography of of speaking speaking is is concerned concerned with with describing describing such such ways ways of of speaking speaking and and with with interpreting interpreting the the meanings meanings they they have have for for those those who who participate participate in in them them. . It It is is concerned concerned further further with with developing developing cross cross culturally culturally valid valid concepts concepts and and theories theories for for interpreting interpreting and and explaining explaining the the interaction interaction of of language language and and social social life life. . G G. . Philipsen Philipsen ( (2009 2009) )

Silence vs talk Writing Body motion horn calling horn calling Ways of Speaking Ways of Speaking speech speech- -derived derived whistling whistling Singing/ dancing drumming drumming

More information about More information about EoC EoC? ? Contextualization: language and Contextualization: language and culture culture Focus: speech communities (tribes, pubs, schools, Focus: speech communities (tribes, pubs, schools, religious and political institutions, workplace) religious and political institutions, workplace) Ethnography of communication (goals) Ethnography of communication (goals) Descriptive Descriptive Comparative Comparative Theoretical Theoretical (communicative competence; patterns) (communicative competence; patterns)

Ways of speaking (modes of communication) Ways of speaking: Verbal and non verbal; Gestural, spoken, written; Words, phonology, grammar Intonation, silence vs talk, greetings, Address forms, politeness, honorific expressions, electronic chat Culture: Beliefs, Stereotypes, mores, customs, food, traditions, local rules, social organizations, religion Connection

Silence vs Silence vs. . Talk Talk We We spent spent some Our Our neighbors neighbors would were were all all right right. . We would would be be accepted accepted. . We yes yes or or a a no no . . Then another another. . Same Same pause, lasted lasted approximately approximately an would would be be six six or or seven performance performancethe some days would drop We would would offer We would Then a a long pause, same days in in a a borrowed drop in in on offer coffee would tentatively long wait same yes yes or or no an hour hour -- --all all of of us us sitting seven exchanges exchanges. . Then the next next day day. . Reisman Reisman( ( 1974 borrowed sod on us us every coffee. . After tentatively ask wait. . After After five sod house house in in the every morning morning just After several several minutes ask a a question question. . More five or or ten ten minutes no . . Another Another ten sitting formally formally. . During Then our our guests guests would 1974) ) the village village of of Rensjoen just to to check check that minutes of of silence silence the More silence, minutes we ten minutes, minutes, etc During that that time would leave leave to to repeat Rensjoen that things things the offer silence, then we would would ask etc. . Each Each visit time there repeat the offer then a a ask visit there the

Doing Ethnography Doing Ethnography Ethno (A tribe, a race or a nation) and Ethno (A tribe, a race or a nation) and Graphos written report about people written report about people. . Ethnographic methods were borrowed by Dell Ethnographic methods were borrowed by Dell Hymes anthropological studies anthropological studies Ethnography Ethnography is: descriptive is: descriptive, cultural, focused, comparative and , cultural, focused, comparative and theoretical theoretical. . In ethnographic fieldwork, researchers use Participant Observation, In ethnographic fieldwork, researchers use Participant Observation, note note- -taking and interviews with people taking and interviews with people Insider and/or outsider Insider and/or outsider Naturalistic Naturalistic stance ( not in a laboratory); discovery stance ( not in a laboratory); discovery Ethnographic research is energy and time consuming Ethnographic research is energy and time consuming Graphos (written down) a (written down) a Hymes from cultural from cultural

Participant Observation (African communities)

Participant Observation (Western Communities) Is she a working waitress or a sociologist conducting Is she a working waitress or a sociologist conducting a study using participant observation? a study using participant observation?

Doing Doing Ethnography in Ethnography in EoC use of address address forms forms & & politeness b.Powerful b.Powerful speech style vs speech style vs Powerless Individuals with low power and low social status vis- -vis the court tend to make frequent use of: Intensifiers: Intensifiers: ("so," "very , "surely," as in "I surely did.") Hedges: Hedges: ("kinda," "I think," "I guess," etc.) Formal grammar: Formal grammar: (the use of bookish grammatical forms) Hesitation forms: Hesitation forms: ("uh , "well," "you know," etc.) Up Up- -talk: talk: (the use of rising, question intonation in declarative contexts) P Polite forms: olite forms: ("please , "thank you," etc.); Gestures EoC: Examples : Examples expressions in the CLASSROOM Powerless speech style in COURTROOMS speech style in COURTROOMS a.The a.The use of politeness expressions in the CLASSROOM Gestures. .

Course T Course Title: Ethnography of Communication ( itle: Ethnography of Communication (EoC PART 2 PART 2 EoC) )

Objectives of the course: Address some examples of EoC 1.Highlight the historical impetuses of EoC 2. explain the construct of Communicative competence

Rcap Rcap EoS program GOALS: Descriptive: Purpose one: used to compare different events. Theoretical: (theory of language) theorizing communicative competence. (two the purposes) framework the ways for the should of same be able used to by be speaking or cultures similar speech

Historical Impetuses Dell Hymes overviewed gaps in linguistics and anthropology studies Linguistics: decontextualization Anthropology: Frans Boas, Language was subsidiary

Historical Impetuses Anthropology: Language was treated as subsidiary: anthropologists had long conducted ethnographic studies on different aspects of culture, ranging from kinship, cultural systems, indigenous views of medicine and curing, etc. No comparative studies of speaking along comparative politics, comparative religion. Linguistics: language as an abstract, decontextualized

Historical Impetuses Dell Hymes developed an Innovative program in early 1960S Why innovative? Combined two desciplines Language use in daily interactions Speech situation; speech event; speech act.

Communicative Competence G. Philipsen (2009) refers to an ability to use language appropriately in The social situations of a speech community. Or: what people need to know in order to communicate more appropriately in a given speech event. how do speakers acquire C.C.

Communicative Competence Communicative Competence vs. Linguistic Competence appropriateness vs. correctness

Communicative Competence Communicative Competence encompasses: Linguistic competence Sociolinguistic competence Strategic competence

Communicative (IN)Competence In some situations, however, some speakers TEND to sound appropriately incompetent . powerless speech style Speaking in tongues: (glossolalia) Women in predominantly patriarchy based communities