Field linguistics: a minor manual

R.M.W. Dixon

doi:10.1524/stuf.2007.60.1.12

Article

Field linguistics: a minor manual

R.M.W. Dixon

Published/Copyright: September 25, 2009

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From the journal Volume 60 Issue 1

Abstract

This manual provides basic information concerning linguistic fieldwork. What is it? Why do it? The ethics involved. How to choose a field language and a field location. How to go about it. What to get – a comprehensive reference grammar (written in terms of basic linguistic theory), a volume of texts, and a dictionary/thesaurus. What to do: insofar as possible, become a member of the community (for ‘immersion fieldwork’); analyse texts; only use elicitation at a late stage, within the language of study (not from a lingua franca). How to work with consultants (and some things which should be avoided). Writing up the grammar. There is a short final section concerning field methods courses in a university.

Keywords: language description; grammar writing; fieldwork methodology; field methods courses

Published Online: 2009-09-25

Published in Print: 2007-03

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1524/stuf.2007.60.1.12

Keywords for this article

language description; grammar writing; fieldwork methodology; field methods courses