Working Together: The interface between researchers and the native people - The Trumai case

Abstract

There is no unified policy for preservation and/or documentation of endangered languages. Each case engenders its own issues and constraints due to its particular cultural and historical situation. Documentation of the Amazonian Trumai language and culture illustrates the intricacy of the parameters that run the gamut from globalisation to local and punctual conflicts, and from the state of world affairs to quarrels over chiefdom inheritance.

Documenting an Endangered Language: The Inclusive First‐Person Plural Pronoun Kākou as a Resource for Claiming Ownership in Hawaiian

“…In fact, in some research the analysis of linguistic data has played a secondary role, particularly those studies that have focused on the sometimes delicate process of conducting fieldwork in native communities (Becquelin et al. ; Hovdhaugen and Noess ; Mosel ; Rice ) and also on technologies to create accessible records of languages (Bow et al. ; Cablitz ; Hyslop Malau ; Nathan ).…”

“…As the rather vague phrasing "various types of analyses" suggests, the status of linguistic analysis in documentary linguistics has not been especially clear. In fact, in some research the analysis of linguistic data has played a secondary role, particularly those studies that have focused on the sometimes delicate process of conducting fieldwork in native communities (Becquelin et al 2008;Hovdhaugen and Noess 2011;Mosel 2006;Rice 2010) and also on technologies to create accessible records of languages (Bow et al 2014;Cablitz 2011;Hyslop Malau 2011;Nathan 2006). Moreover, even in documentation studies devoted to the analysis of data, there has been considerable disagreement concerning the type of analyses that researchers are expected to produce (Evans 2008;Furbee 2010;Himmelman 2006Himmelman , 2012Rehg 2014;Woodbury 2003).…”