Introduction to Fieldwork: From elicitation to ELAN

# Introduction to Fieldwork: From elicitation to ELAN 
## Session 1: Going to the field &nbsp;

## Naomi Peck &nbsp;

### Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg 2022-02-11 (updated: 2022-02-11)
&nbsp;

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# Content Warning

This session deals with some heavy topics later around difficulties in going to the field. These issues are very real and you should be aware of them before deciding to conduct fieldwork.

That said, if you need to give this session a miss for whatever reason, it is more than okay. Come back later to join us for elicitation!

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> #### *Fieldwork is a drug. Walking into people's lives is just fabulous, you know? It's something we get to do and most people don't. ... But you know when I go there all my troubles disappear, you know? You're just completely taken up in these other people's lives and suddenly your crap seems like nothing. So, it's a drug.* 
>
> -- Penny Eckert
> (Tagliamonte 2016:89)

???

Tagliamonte, Sali A. 2016. *Making Waves: The Story of Variationist Sociolinguistics*. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.

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# What do I need before going to the field?

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# A plan for data collection

Before going, you should have your metadata protocols and equipment all sorted out. You should also have a good idea of what data you want to collect, and whether you need to bring any materials for this purpose (e.g. specialised equipment, props for elicitation).

One thing which you may not have considered is what language to do elicitation in. Your elicitation could be monolingual, or you may need to communicate through a lingua franca or contact language. This may require you to learn a completely different language in order to do fieldwork in your desired part of the world. You should aim to achieve communicative competence in the language you are doing fieldwork in where possible.

---

>####*The majority of [Minderico] speakers are active speakers but they could switch all the time. So, if I use Portuguese they will continue in Portuguese straight away, they don’t switch to Minderico again. I was working with the language already before, so in order to conduct the interviews and all the elicitation and everything, I had to use Minderico because I knew if I start with Portuguese they will switch immediately to Portuguese and will not go back to Minderico.*
>
> -- Vera Ferreira
> (Tsutsui Billins 2019a, 19:03)

???

Tsutsui Billins, Martha (Host). 2019a. Fieldwork Q&A with Vera Ferreira & Hugo Cardoso (Part 1) (Episode 9) [Audio podcast episode]. In *Field Notes*. https://fieldnotespod.com/2019/06/25/ep-9-fieldwork-qa-with-vera-ferreira-hugo-cardoso-part-1/

Transcript: https://fieldnotespod.com/episode-9-fieldwork-qa-with-vera-ferreira-hugo-cardoso-part-1/

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# Knowledge about the situation

Forewarned is forearmed!

There are many, many works out there which can help us prepare for the linguistic and cultural situation into which we are entering. Earlier descriptions of the language, descriptions of related languages or languages spoken in the area, as well as ethnographic, cultural, and historic information of the community are tremendously helpful in getting situated in a speech community.

Having contacts within the community can be incredibly helpful in this case. You can enter a community as a "friend of a friend" and gain access to many more people than you would alone. They can also guide you through early days in a community and help you from committing any *faux pas* from ignorance. Make sure you listen to your friends in the community -- they know what is going on.

Ideally, you will have also familiarised yourself with relevant linguistic questions and theories which may be interesting for you. This could be phonetic features to look out for or typological questionnaires to answer. These theories can help guide you in data collection.

---

> ####*While staying at my field site in Ethiopia for the first time, I was not aware that it was inappropriate to look into men’s eyes and to display a too cheerful behaviour when speaking with them, because this was easily interpreted as a pick-up attempt. As a severe consequence of this, a man entered my hotel room uninvited and he could only be made to leave with very harsh words.*
>
> -- Yvonne Treis
> (RCLT 2009:14)

???

Research Centre for Linguistic Typology. 2009. *Fieldwork Manual: Fieldwork and Your Wellbeing*. Bundoora: La Trobe University.

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# Knowledge about fieldwork

No-one should go into the field without talking to a fieldworker or reading about experiences in the field.

Fieldwork can be a mentally tiring activity. You are often away from family and friends and must deal with living somewhere new in a different cultural environment. Sometimes, fieldwork can take you to remote areas without electricity or phone service, let alone any internet signal! The food can be very different to what you're used to, and you may have to eat foods that you would never eat otherwise to be polite.

You are often not in control of your life and your data collection process in a way you'd like. However, working with speakers to collect and analyse data is a rewarding process that is hard to replicate elsewhere. Let yourself be guided but try to achieve your goals the best you can.

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> ####*I like to read personal accounts of other fieldworkers while in the village. Life in the field was so different at first that I suffered from culture shock and thought the whole village was crazy. Reading how other researchers work in similar environments and cope with it changed my perception of my own situation. I had been like a soccer player on a rugby field, complaining that the locals constantly broke the rules; but they simply had different rules. I had to discover and accept that my behavioural norms were not applicable in their society.* 
>
> -- Gerd Jendraschek
> (RCLT 2009:18)

???

Research Centre for Linguistic Typology. 2009. *Fieldwork Manual: Fieldwork and Your Wellbeing*. Bundoora: La Trobe University.

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# Travel plans

Planning for fieldwork begins months in advance. You may need to apply for research permits and/or visas, which famously can take a very, very long time to be processed. Applying for funding can also take a long time too and there may be stipulations from the funder of how you can use the money.

You should ideally also obtain research clearance with your community before travelling. This can help you keep on good terms with authorities in the area. Consider partnering with nearby universities to lend yourself some prestige and credentials in the local community.

Don't forget that your passport should also have minimum 6 months left of validity and to see a doctor for advice before you travel!

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# Living in the Field

Many people imagine doing fieldwork on a beach somewhere. However, this is not the reality for many of us. When choosing your accommodation, first decide whether you should live on site or elsewhere. If you stay with a host family, what impact will you have on them materially?

You should always have some plans to ensure your personal safety. What medical supplies should you take with you? How will you access money in the field, and keep it safe? What happens if there is an emergency, be it medical or personal? These are all things to consider before going to the field.

Some lesser concerns, which feel very real in the field, are things like privacy and diets. Privacy is a very Western concept, and you may feel like you have no space to yourself when out in the field. Videos or photos may be taken without your consent, because this is normal where you are. You also may be vegetarian or vegan and not be able to maintain this diet in the field because food is hard to source or you may hurt field relationships by refusing food.

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>####*...I didn’t realize in Amami there is only one day a year where you can get rid of your batteries, where you can recycle them. That one day in the year was not while I was there, so I had to give them to someone to save for six more months until that day came.*
>
> -- Martha Tsutsui Billins
> (Tsutsui Billins 2019b, 15:15)

???

Tsutsui Billins, Martha (Host). 2019b. Fieldwork Q&A with Vera Ferreira & Hugo Cardoso (Part 2) (Episode 10) [Audio podcast episode]. In *Field Notes*. https://fieldnotespod.com/2019/06/25/ep-9-fieldwork-qa-with-vera-ferreira-hugo-cardoso-part-1/

Transcript: https://fieldnotespod.com/episode-10-fieldwork-qa-with-vera-ferreira-hugo-cardoso-part-2/

---

# Self-care

More than anything, you should not forget that you are a person too and deserve time off work!

It sometimes feels impossible to step away from a field situation or find space for yourself. Consider going on walks or runs if possible and bringing some non-linguistic reading material to distract yourself. You may even want to write a journal to commemorate your experience!

Privacy and security constraints can sometimes make this even harder. In this case, I would recommend trying to invest time in making some friends in the field who can help you feel less like a researcher and more like a person.

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> ####*And you’ve got to look after yourself as well, and I think that’s also really important, and that’s the same if you’re doing this kind of work here. Right? Like if you’re stressed, if you’re unwell, if you’re not looking after yourself, it just gets harder and harder. So I think sort of being led by your own interests and curiosity, being patient and kind of taking a broad kind of holistic view, if you want, and then, yeah, self-care. And I think that’s probably true for many of the things we do in this world as well, but just like looking after yourself, because, yeah, if you’re not sort of approaching it 100%, then yeah, it’s really difficult to keep going.*
>
> -- Hannah Gibson
> (Tsutsui Billins 2020, 40:24)

???

Tsutsui Billins, Martha (Host). 2020. Rethinking the ‘field’ in Fieldwork with Hannah Gibson (Episode 15) [Audio podcast episode]. In *Field Notes*. https://fieldnotespod.com/2020/04/30/ep-15-rethinking-the-field-in-fieldwork-with-hannah-gibson/

Transcript: https://fieldnotespod.com/episode-15-rethinking-the-field-in-fieldwork-with-hannah-gibson/

---
    
# Working with consultants

In Germany, we are not required to go through an ethics approval process before going to the field. This is very common in the Anglosphere - be warned if you change universities!

Your behaviour in the field will ultimately depend on the fieldsite. Some field situations involve paying the consultants and some do not. In all cases, I recommend consulting fieldworkers in the area to find out what is appropriate behaviour and wages for consultants before going.

You should always consider what you could give in return to those that help you. This could be creating readers or books for minority language communities or simply giving the recordings back to those who created them. You could help out with chores around the house or share some of your culture with them! Remember, your consultants in the field are also real people, just like you.

Different consultants also will have different strengths. Some may be patient and willing to help you figure out verb paradigms, others may prefer talking about different words and jump from topic to topic. In all cases, patience is golden and you should always have a back-up plan and the flexibility to carry it out if needed.
    
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> ####*One of the saddest deaths was of a young woman whose mother was a great help to my work. She was about 22 I think, and had been sick for years, but she had improved and so I was hoping when I went back to the village to find her in the pink of health. The day I arrived in the village I was told that she had died the day before. There would be a ceremony on the 7th day after she died, and if I could attend it would be a great merit for her, I was told. So of course I changed my plans so I could be there. A year or two earlier, her mother had asked for a silk hat from Thailand as a gift, so I got one, but not being a fashion person it was too big. Still she loved it and I took a photo of her wearing it. This was the picture they used at her funeral.* 
>
> -- Stephen Morey
> (RCLT 2009:16)

???

Research Centre for Linguistic Typology. 2009. *Fieldwork Manual: Fieldwork and Your Wellbeing*. Bundoora: La Trobe University.

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## Ups and Downs of fieldwork (Newman and Ratliff 2001:8)

- Excitement of overcoming intellectual obstacles

- Enriching experience of getting to know and live in a culture and society different from your own

- Sense of satisfaction when the community praises your research

- Professional pride that one has contributed to ongoing knowledge about language
]

- Equipment issues

- Disease, accidents, and other health risks

- Food and housing problems

- Money issues

- Culture shock and discomfort

- Strained relations with authorities

- Worries about loved ones

- Boredom and loneliness
]

???

Newman, Paul and Martha Ratliff. 2001. Introduction. In Newman, Paul and Martha Ratliff (eds.), *Linguistic Fieldwork*, 1-14. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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> ####*Doing interviews alone is pretty- it's a pretty harsh emotional experience 'cause you get rejected a lot and there are a lot of suspicions you know people think you're selling tape recorders and... So, I can remember sitting in my room and crying because it was so- Sali: Traumatic. Walt: Yeah. Being rejected and sort of feeling totally alone and sort of, "I got to get this stuff. I got to get this data," you know?* 
>
> -- Walt Wolfram 
> (Tagliamonte 2016:92)

???

Tagliamonte, Sali A. 2016. *Making Waves: The Story of Variationist Sociolinguistics*. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.

---

# Slogans for Fieldwork (Rice 2001:230)

Pay careful attention to information about the language that the speaker you are working with wants you to hear.

Know the available literature and respect it, but keep in mind that there is always more to learn.

Avoid isolating areas of the language so that you lose track of the fact that language is a complex, dynamic system.

Bring as much knowledge as you can, from all domains – about language, about linguistics, about people.

Do not straightjacket the language into categories that you bring to it – let it live on its own.

???

Rice, Keren. 2001. Learning as one goes. In Paul Newman and Martha Ratliff (eds.), *Linguistic Fieldwork*, 230-249. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

---

# Slogans for Fieldwork (Rice 2001:230)

Do not think that language is a monolithic entity within a community. There is variation within language, and this must be part of any analysis.

Not all speakers have the same strengths.

A good working relationship is an evolving thing. Both speakers and the linguist must get to know one another.

Be open to learn.

???

Rice, Keren. 2001. Learning as one goes. In Paul Newman and Martha Ratliff (eds.), *Linguistic Fieldwork*, 230-249. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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# On a more serious and personal note

No-one's fieldwork experience is ever "perfect", no matter how much we glorify "the field" in academia. Only go into the field when you are prepared for a very intense experience.

## Your health and safety is paramount and not worth any amount of data.

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> ####*Fieldwork takes me completely outside of myself and this can be quite shattering. What keeps me going back is the fact that there is simply nothing like the feeling that comes from being an outsider who is recognised, accepted and welcomed into a family or a community. I have learnt a lot about myself by discovering what other people can see in me. Without becoming vulnerable and dependent, there is no opportunity for others to provide the warmth and hospitality that they can extend so generously when they recognise the need. So, in spite of the difficulties and ambivalence, there is nothing in my field experience that I would ever give back and I will certainly be going again (and again).* 
>
> -- Tonya Stebbins 
> (RCLT 2009:26)

???

Research Centre for Linguistic Typology. 2009. *Fieldwork Manual: Fieldwork and Your Wellbeing*. Bundoora: La Trobe University.

---

# Fieldworker Testimonials

Field Notes Podcast

https://anakrajinovic.medium.com/

Research Centre for Linguistic Typology. 2009. *Fieldwork Manual: Fieldwork and Your Wellbeing*. Bundoora: La Trobe University.

Tagliamonte, Sali A. 2016. *Making Waves: The Story of Variationist Sociolinguistics*. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.

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# Further Sources

Chelliah, Shobhana L. and Willem J. De Reuse. 2011. *Handbook of Descriptive Linguistic Fieldwork*. Dordrecht: Springer.

Macaulay, Monica. 2004. Training Linguistics Students for the Realities of Fieldwork. *Anthropological Linguistics* 46(2): 194-209.

Howell, Nancy. 1990. *Surviving fieldwork: A report of the Advisory Panel on Health and Safety in Fieldwork*. Washington: American Anthropological Association.

Newman, Paul and Martha Ratliff (eds.). 2001. *Linguistic Fieldwork*. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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# End of Session 1
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### You will need pen and paper for Session 2