Field Research

You are invited to engage with the research conducted by linguists from Freiburg, and glimpse what their research process looks like. Hopefully this will benefit and scaffold your understanding of both the social and practical aspects of linguistic work in the field.

What is Fieldwork?

Linguistic fieldwork refers to the documentation of linguistic material in the actual environment in which a language is spoken. This includes various ways of communicating, such as small talk, political speeches, shamanistic rituals, and dinner conversations between family members. It could also include the linguist asking for specific words or sentences, perhaps using translations from a second language or pictures that tell a story. The aim is to collect diverse material by looking at a language in all its various forms, including slang and formal speech, written and spoken language, and local as well as standard varieties.

More narrowly, linguistic fieldwork also involves the practical application of various research methods used in the field. This naturally involves working with recorders, cameras and other tools and toys in order to record, annotate, analyse, archive and present linguistic data. It also includes working with community members and leaders, discussing important cultural topics, and building an understanding of the concerns of a specific language community.

What is Fieldwork Used for?

A lot of fieldwork is conducted to document linguistic phenomena for understanding languages better. More recently, we also document endangered languages facing the threat of extinction. If we are successful in our fieldwork, it should be helpful not only to the investigation of complex linguistic conundrums. It could also be used in creating a written system for a language, for the organisation of native language schools, or for the documentation of old stories and mythologies for future generations.

Who Uses/Benefits from Fieldwork?

We are aiming to make a record of a language that can benefit generations of users, whose identity and purpose we might not yet be aware of. Our documentation work should also be equally beneficial to linguists and other researchers as it is to community members. All language documentation is a testament to human culture on this planet. In times of rapid change and language endangerment, it presents a way for us to reflect on and treasure the immense linguistic and cultural diversity yet to be found among us today.