Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was the primary reason Lowie was able to gain the help of a Blackfoot interpreter?
What was the primary reason Lowie was able to gain the help of a Blackfoot interpreter?
- Lowie demonstrated a unique cultural skill that piqued their interest. (correct)
- Lowie offered a high monetary compensation to the interpreter.
- Lowie was fluent in the Blackfoot language, and it helped him communicate effectively.
- Lowie threatened to report the Blackfoot tribe to the white authorities if they didn't cooperate.
Offering a high rate of pay will always guarantee cooperation from informants, regardless of local conditions.
Offering a high rate of pay will always guarantee cooperation from informants, regardless of local conditions.
False (B)
What is one reason for starting with a lower pay rate than intended when compensating an informant?
What is one reason for starting with a lower pay rate than intended when compensating an informant?
easier to dismiss a worker
The rate of pay for informants depends primarily on local _________, not on the resources of the investigator.
The rate of pay for informants depends primarily on local _________, not on the resources of the investigator.
Why is it important to differentiate pay scales based on the type of work informants perform?
Why is it important to differentiate pay scales based on the type of work informants perform?
Establishing friendly relations with the community might make an informant uncomfortable accepting public payment for their help.
Establishing friendly relations with the community might make an informant uncomfortable accepting public payment for their help.
According to the reading, what type of worker could be used as a comparison in a money economy when rating an informant?
According to the reading, what type of worker could be used as a comparison in a money economy when rating an informant?
Match the type of work with appropriate application for a particular study:
Match the type of work with appropriate application for a particular study:
When assessing a potential language informant, why should answers to questions about their language skills not be taken at face value?
When assessing a potential language informant, why should answers to questions about their language skills not be taken at face value?
It is acceptable to only analyze part of a text and use the rest for testing if the unanalyzed portion can be aptly described by the analysis.
It is acceptable to only analyze part of a text and use the rest for testing if the unanalyzed portion can be aptly described by the analysis.
Besides regular availability, what essential attribute should a language informant possess?
Besides regular availability, what essential attribute should a language informant possess?
When selecting informants, comments from the community often provide useful insights into the potential candidates' verbal ______.
When selecting informants, comments from the community often provide useful insights into the potential candidates' verbal ______.
Match each question with its purpose in assessing potential language informants:
Match each question with its purpose in assessing potential language informants:
What problem did researchers working on the Linguistic Atlas of New England encounter when selecting informants?
What problem did researchers working on the Linguistic Atlas of New England encounter when selecting informants?
Recommendations for informants should be accepted without scrutiny if they come from a respected community member.
Recommendations for informants should be accepted without scrutiny if they come from a respected community member.
What might a sponsor do to promote their candidate as a language informant if they learned the qualities the investigator was looking for?
What might a sponsor do to promote their candidate as a language informant if they learned the qualities the investigator was looking for?
What is the primary reason informants might refuse payment for their participation in a study?
What is the primary reason informants might refuse payment for their participation in a study?
The rewards an informant receives from cooperating with a researcher always outweigh the potential negative perceptions from their community.
The rewards an informant receives from cooperating with a researcher always outweigh the potential negative perceptions from their community.
What is a potential negative consequence for an investigator who attempts to deceive informants?
What is a potential negative consequence for an investigator who attempts to deceive informants?
The relationship established in fieldwork involves a ______ exchange between the investigator and the participating parties.
The relationship established in fieldwork involves a ______ exchange between the investigator and the participating parties.
From the perspective of an informant's peers, what is one possible negative perception of their cooperation with an investigator?
From the perspective of an informant's peers, what is one possible negative perception of their cooperation with an investigator?
An investigator should always assume that the rewards they offer are sufficient to compensate the informant for their time and effort.
An investigator should always assume that the rewards they offer are sufficient to compensate the informant for their time and effort.
What psychological satisfaction might an interviewee get for participating?
What psychological satisfaction might an interviewee get for participating?
Which of the following behaviors by an investigator is most likely to negatively impact a linguistics project due to informant impatience?
Which of the following behaviors by an investigator is most likely to negatively impact a linguistics project due to informant impatience?
An ideal language informant should readily accept compensation in the form of goods or services from the linguist, regardless of personal needs.
An ideal language informant should readily accept compensation in the form of goods or services from the linguist, regardless of personal needs.
Why is it dangerous for investigators to trick informants?
Why is it dangerous for investigators to trick informants?
What is a key characteristic of a dependable informant, as exemplified by the Gbeya informant Gounnté?
What is a key characteristic of a dependable informant, as exemplified by the Gbeya informant Gounnté?
A dependable informant is one who fulfills all the __________ agreed upon with the field worker.
A dependable informant is one who fulfills all the __________ agreed upon with the field worker.
Match the scenarios with the reasons why an informant might be unavailable:
Match the scenarios with the reasons why an informant might be unavailable:
What does the anecdote about the Amuesha informant primarily illustrate regarding the challenges of fieldwork?
What does the anecdote about the Amuesha informant primarily illustrate regarding the challenges of fieldwork?
A good informant will always prioritize the linguist's schedule over their personal needs and circumstances.
A good informant will always prioritize the linguist's schedule over their personal needs and circumstances.
What personal attribute of the Gbeya informant, aside from his reliability, made his contributions particularly remarkable?
What personal attribute of the Gbeya informant, aside from his reliability, made his contributions particularly remarkable?
What key distinction does the author make between the connectives 'go' and 'sôko'?
What key distinction does the author make between the connectives 'go' and 'sôko'?
According to the author, bilingualism alone is sufficient to make someone a linguistically sophisticated informant.
According to the author, bilingualism alone is sufficient to make someone a linguistically sophisticated informant.
What is one characteristic of a good language informant?
What is one characteristic of a good language informant?
Linguistic sophistication takes language out of the realm of the ________ and automatic and puts it in the realm of the conscious and ________.
Linguistic sophistication takes language out of the realm of the ________ and automatic and puts it in the realm of the conscious and ________.
According to the author, what is often lacking in individuals who learn to read Sango informally?
According to the author, what is often lacking in individuals who learn to read Sango informally?
The ability to recite poetry is sufficient for someone to be a good language informant.
The ability to recite poetry is sufficient for someone to be a good language informant.
Why does the author consider an informant who points out the completion aspect of 'sôko' more helpful?
Why does the author consider an informant who points out the completion aspect of 'sôko' more helpful?
Match the following traits with their relationship to being a language informant:
Match the following traits with their relationship to being a language informant:
What is the primary goal of a linguist when working with an informant?
What is the primary goal of a linguist when working with an informant?
Cross-cultural awareness directly implies linguistic objectivity in an informant.
Cross-cultural awareness directly implies linguistic objectivity in an informant.
According to the content what factors determine an informant's attitude toward their language?
According to the content what factors determine an informant's attitude toward their language?
The terms 'naive' and 'sophisticated' are best understood as points on a ______ of characteristics.
The terms 'naive' and 'sophisticated' are best understood as points on a ______ of characteristics.
In the example provided, why did the Tausug informant offer the word for a 'city house' rather than a 'mud house' when asked for the word 'house'?
In the example provided, why did the Tausug informant offer the word for a 'city house' rather than a 'mud house' when asked for the word 'house'?
Match the following concepts with their descriptions:
Match the following concepts with their descriptions:
Why does McIntosh suggest that Scots will always react in a linguistically sophisticated way?
Why does McIntosh suggest that Scots will always react in a linguistically sophisticated way?
For purely linguistic research, a culturally sophisticated informant is always preferable to one without such awareness.
For purely linguistic research, a culturally sophisticated informant is always preferable to one without such awareness.
Flashcards
Language Community
Language Community
A group of people who share a common language and culture.
Informant
Informant
A native speaker who provides linguistic data for study.
Field Worker
Field Worker
An investigator who collects linguistic information from informants.
Evaluating Verbal Gifts
Evaluating Verbal Gifts
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Recommendation Scrutiny
Recommendation Scrutiny
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Statistical Adequacy
Statistical Adequacy
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Conversationalist
Conversationalist
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Cultural Context
Cultural Context
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Remuneration
Remuneration
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Building trust with informants
Building trust with informants
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Local conditions influencing pay
Local conditions influencing pay
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Fieldwork dynamics
Fieldwork dynamics
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Pay scale variation
Pay scale variation
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Encouragement through salary increase
Encouragement through salary increase
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Community influence on informants
Community influence on informants
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Reciprocal Exchange
Reciprocal Exchange
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Impatience of Informants
Impatience of Informants
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Informant's Motivation
Informant's Motivation
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Role Obligation
Role Obligation
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Consequences of Anger
Consequences of Anger
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Cultural Taboos
Cultural Taboos
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Honesty in Linguistics
Honesty in Linguistics
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Psychological Satisfaction
Psychological Satisfaction
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Dependability of Informants
Dependability of Informants
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Gounnté's Dependability
Gounnté's Dependability
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Peer Perception
Peer Perception
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Investigative Duplicity
Investigative Duplicity
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Circumstances Affecting Attendance
Circumstances Affecting Attendance
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Informant’s Flexibility
Informant’s Flexibility
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Community Obstruction
Community Obstruction
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Data Collection Opportunities
Data Collection Opportunities
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Connectives
Connectives
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Action Completion
Action Completion
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Linguistic Sophistication
Linguistic Sophistication
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Naiveté in Language
Naiveté in Language
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Field Worker Skills
Field Worker Skills
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Literacy and Language Knowledge
Literacy and Language Knowledge
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Informant's Role
Informant's Role
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Empirical Studies in Language
Empirical Studies in Language
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Sophistication
Sophistication
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Linguistic Objectivity
Linguistic Objectivity
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Cultural Awareness
Cultural Awareness
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Field Methods Session
Field Methods Session
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Prestige Vocabulary
Prestige Vocabulary
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Community Influence
Community Influence
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Lexical Skewing
Lexical Skewing
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Language Role in Culture
Language Role in Culture
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Study Notes
The Language Informant
- Linguistic investigators are outsiders to the language they study.
- Language initially appears as noise to an outsider.
- The language becomes understandable through interaction within the community.
- An informant facilitates this process by offering samples of the language, explanations, and interpretations.
- Informants provide crucial data for linguistic analysis by furnishing examples and contextual understanding.
- They explain how language is used within the community.
- Informants are more often those who regularly meet with the researcher.
- "Informant" is a technical term and should be used carefully outside of linguistic circles.
Need for Informants
- Informants are essential to linguistic research in gathering data and achieving accurate linguistic analyses.
- A meticulous treatment of informants' roles in linguistic analysis is lacking in existing literature.
- Researchers often express gratitude to informants but seldom explain the full extent of the collaboration.
- Informants contribute data, interpretation, and contextual knowledge to linguistic analysis.
- Informants help establish connections and meanings between the language being studied and the researcher's native language.
- Linguistic analysis depends on data from many speakers, not just one.
Selection of Informants
- Not all speakers qualify as informants.
- Criteria for good informants include good communication skills and willingness to engage.
- Informants' backgrounds and relationships can impact data quality.
- Considerations for selection include the community's dynamics, the project's goals and the suitability of the individual to aid the project.
- It's often beneficial to conduct a reconnaissance to vet prospective informants before choosing a particular one.
- It's vital to address potential issues or challenges with any potential informant.
Training of Informants
- Informants require training to become proficient contributors to research.
- Training often involves clarifying the researcher's goals, procedures, and expectations.
- Training helps ensure that the data collected is accurate and representative of the language.
- Accurate transcription and data recording is essential for high quality research.
- The process of linguistic analysis and the methods employed should be explicitly explained to the informant.
- The goal of training is to transform the informant into a well-informed, interested, and cooperative collaborator.
- Factors such as age, cultural background, and individual experiences can affect training.
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Description
Explore the role of language informants in linguistic research. Informants provide language samples, explanations, and interpretations, facilitating understanding for linguistic investigators. They are crucial for data collection and accurate linguistic analysis, offering insights into language usage within a community.