Wizards, Vampires, Klingons, and Other Alternative Cultures
On the last day of my introduction to anthropology class, we watch scenes from the documentary Trekkies. Students grin at the sincere folks dressed as Starfleet officers and…
Tag: Language
At(tending) to Anthropological Language
The way anthropologists write and speak to each other about our work is a lot like memes. By memes I mean those bits of text and image used across…
Surviving Oregon Native Languages; Online Sources and Links
Oregon Tribal Languages have been endangered for over 100 years. From an original base of some 100 languages and dialects, the number of surviving Continue reading
Arctic Weather Words
In northern Greenland, the words people use to describe the sea ice and weather provide insight into the ongoing effects of climate change. The hunters and fishers of…
Petty Nationalism and the Right’s War on Language
This post was submitted by Phillip M. Carter, an associate professor of linguistics at Florida International University’s Cuban Research Institute The French Revolutionaries, compelled as they were by…
Ethnography & Case-Study Research: Grey Literature
What is “grey literature”? Is this a term that you use in your work? Why does knowing this language matter? The first time I heard the term “grey…
Ethnography & Case-Study Research: Grey Literature
What is “grey literature”? Is this a term that you use in your work? Why does knowing this language matter? The first time I heard the term “grey…
Hurry Up and Wait, Part 2: Arrival – #RoR2018
After focusing my last couple weeks spending quality time with my loved ones, this week I have arrived in Dakar. This is my sixth time here and unquestionably…
Public health politicised: A response to the politics of CDC language and implications for global health, wellbeing and inequalities by Ben Kasstan
In this response we address how the recent language controversy surrounding the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must be considered as part of a broader politicisation…
Lower Chinook Vocabulary by Robert Shortess, 1853
Robert Shortess married a Clatsop woman in the late 1840s in Astoria, Oregon. He had arrived in Oregon in 1839 and was active around the Willamette Valley for…
How Have Attitudes Toward Extremism Changed Over Time?
Words are more than their dictionary definitions. Amir Ridhwan/Shutterstock This article was originally published at The Conversation and has been republished under Creative Commons. The …
Unraveling an Ancient Code Written In Strings
This khipu, which was made before the Spanish conquest of the Incas, was probably used for accounting, as indicated by the knots in the cords. Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images…
Are Emojis and Hieroglyphs Universal Language?
Will Emojis be the death of writing? Are emojis modern day hieroglyphs? Is the increased use of emojis in textual conversations a sign of the end of language as we…
Combatting Stereotypes About Appalachian Dialects
The small city of Hazard, Kentucky, rests in the heart of Appalachia. David Stephenson/Associated Press This article was originally published at The Conversation and has been republished …
Isuma TV – Indigenous Media collective
We recently came across Isuma TV, “a collaborative multimedia platform for indigenous filmmakers and media organizations. Each user can design their own space, or channel, to reflect their…
Primate Vocalizations Are Much More Than Gibberish
Chimpanzees use alarm calls to inform each other of danger. Ronald Woan/Flickr A chimpanzee is strolling along a trail through the lush Budongo Forest in Uganda when he…
The Ku Klux Klan and the Value of Shame
A recent Ku Klux Klan rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, drew close to 1,000 counterprotestors. Steve Helber/Associated Press On July 8, Charlottesville, Virginia, witnessed the value of…
For the Love of Us All, No More Deplorables, Snowflakes, or Nasty Women
8 Labels I Never Want to Hear Again There are several words that have gained in popularity over the last few years that I don’t ever want to…
How Do You Count Without Numbers?
For those of us who live in numbers-oriented cultures, anumeric societies shed light on the unreal nature of seconds, minutes, and hours. Jane Barlow/Associated Press This article was…
Do Military Leaflets Save Lives or Just Instill Fear?
Some modern militaries distribute leaflets, such as the ones these Iraqi boys are reading, in an attempt to convince people to believe certain things or behave in a…
Bringing anthropological ethics into the classroom
With the Canadian Anthropology Society Conference next week comes CASCA’s Spring issue of the network’s newsletter, Culture. One item that caught our eye in this issue was Eric…
Bringing anthropological ethics into the classroom
With the Canadian Anthropology Society Conference next week comes CASCA’s Spring issue of the network’s newsletter, Culture. One item that caught our eye in this issue was Eric…
Media, language, and social relationships
In teaching anthropology, I always find students to be exceptionally interested on the days that we talk about media. Many of my students consider social media to be…
Media, language, and social relationships
In teaching anthropology, I always find students to be exceptionally interested on the days that we talk about media. Many of my students consider social media to be…