Open AccessTHE LANGUAGE BEYOND THE WORDS: A Suggestion for Fieldwork Training
Author(s) -
Donna M. Capper
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of anthropology at mcmaster
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0707-3771
DOI - 10.15173/nexus.v8i1.89
Subject(s) - interpretation (philosophy) , nonverbal communication , affect (linguistics) , linguistics , value (mathematics) , sound (geography) , motion (physics) , sociology , psychology , communication , anthropology , computer science , philosophy , acoustics , artificial intelligence , physics , machine learning
In many ways, fieldwork in anthropology is like watching a movie with the sound off. In fieldwork, the anthropologist is often in a situation where s/he understands neither the language nor the local customs. Nonverbal communication, and the anthropologist's interpretation of it, becomes the first route to understanding the culture. Viewing a motion picture with the sound off can give a glimpse of the value of non-verbal communication and how one's cultural background can affect one's interpretation.