Linguistic Fieldwork

Rating:
Summary: Great resource for those considering fieldwork
Review: This is a collection of personal essays from linguists who have done fieldwork all over the world. I found the content to be very accessible, enjoyable to read, and very helpful (I am preparing to begin linguistic fieldwork this fall). In the introduction, the editors state that the goal of the book is to a) convey the intellectual excitement of lingistic fieldwork and b) give a realistic picture of the complexities involved in describing a language as it is used by actual speakers in natural settings. They have definitely succeeded in achieving this goal. Topics covered include: the pros and cons of doing monolingual fieldwork, escaping Eurocentrism, phonetic fieldwork, text collection vs. elicitation, finding consultants, and a number of other practical tips for carrying out fieldwork from experienced fieldworkers. Contributors include: Larry Hyman, Marianne Mithun, Gerrit Dimmendaal, Ken Hale, David Gil, Nancy Dorian, and many others.