Comprehensive Notes on the Ethnography of Communication

Conceptual Overview and Definition

  • Ethnography of Communication represents the study of how language is used within specific cultural and social contexts.
  • It highlights the intricate relationship between communication practices and cultural norms.
  • The field analyzes speech events by examining the rules and patterns governing language use among particular groups.
  • This analysis reveals how communication functions to sustain and transform culture.
  • Rooted in anthropology and linguistics, this discipline provides researchers with tools to uncover the nuanced ways meaning is conveyed and social connections are maintained through language.
  • It provides a framework to understand how language behaviors are intertwined with cultural practices.
  • It emphasizes linguistic actions within social settings, offering insights into how cultures manage interpersonal interactions.

Historical Development and Academic Roots

  • The term Ethnography of Communication was established in 19641964.
  • It reflects a redefined version of the Ethnography of speaking, which was formulated by Dell Hymes in 19621962.
  • The redefinition was necessary to include the two primary means of communication: speech and writing.
  • Dell Hymes originally developed the Ethnography of speaking to describe occurrences when people engage in communication through speech.
  • The concept has since evolved into a method within the social approach to language.
  • It draws upon the anthropological field of Ethnography to explain how cultural experiences are communicated.
  • A major aspect of this field is the analysis of several components that comprise any speech event.

The Theoretical Framework: SPEAKING

  • This theory investigates foundational aspects centered on understanding communication within its specific cultural milieu.
  • Researchers, such as Gordon (20112011, p. 107107), utilize wide definitions of context that include the information captured in the SPEAKING framework.
  • SPEAKING is a heuristic acronym that encourages analysts to attend to eight specific components of interaction:
    • S: Setting and Scene.
    • P: Participants.
    • E: Interactional Ends.
    • A: Act Sequences.
    • K: Key or Tone.
    • I: Instrumentalities or forms and channels of communication.
    • N: Norms of interpretation.
    • G: Genres.

Detailed Breakdown of the SPEAKING Components

  • Setting and Scene (S)
    • Setting refers to the time when a speech occurs and the physical location (the place) where it happens.
    • Scene encompasses not only the physical environment but also the psychological setting.
    • This includes the nature of the communication and its degree of formality.
    • Formality levels are determined by the institutionalized cultural way of behaving during specific types of communication.
    • Example: A priest is expected to behave in specific ways when conducting a service.
    • Informal interactions are generally less rule-governed than formal ones.
  • Participants (P)
    • This refers to the speaker and the audience within a specific speech situation.
    • The speaker is the person performing a speech act, which may involve informing, directing, or eliciting behavior from the audience.
    • The audience includes those being addressed by the speaker.
    • Physical presence is not mandatory for participation; communications can occur when the speaker is distant, such as via news broadcasts, telephone, or e-mail.
  • Ends (E)
    • Refers to the purpose, goal, or outcome of the communication.
    • Goal Examples:
      • To educate, such as the interaction between a teacher and students.
      • To entertain, as seen between a comedian and an audience.
      • To promote a view, as seen in political campaigns or advertisements.
  • Act Sequence (A)
    • Every event has a specific form and an order it follows.
    • Meaningful communication requires ordering one's speech so it can be understood by other participants.
    • Narrative Examples: Stories often begin with standard phrases like "once upon a time," "a long time ago," or "in the year…" as a point of departure.
    • Social Examples: Every meeting begins with a greeting. This is prominent in formal presentations where protocols must be observed; specifically, individuals are recognized and greeted in a particular order, usually based on their status.
  • Key (K)
    • This refers to the ways of behaving that differ between speech events, specifically the tone used in discursive practices.
    • Tones and facial expressions are serious when warning individuals.
    • Tones are more relaxed during banter.
    • Key refers to the ways of speaking that result in specific emotional responses, such as making people laugh, sober, or cry.
  • Instrumentalities (I)
    • This refers to the style adopted in speech.
    • Casual conversations utilize colloquial expressions.
    • Formal situations require words to be chosen carefully.
    • Example: The word "loo" is used as an informal expression, whereas formal counterparts include "gents," "ladies," or "convenience."
  • Norms (N)
    • Social rules that govern how people behave when they speak, including their actions and reactions.
    • Every speech community has its own norms.
    • Example in Yoruba culture: Younger male persons prostrate in addition to their verbal greeting when addressing older people. Greeting is defined as both the verbal statement and the performance of the accompanying gesture.
  • Genre (G)
    • This refers to the specific kind of speech act being performed.
    • Identification methods for genres vary across different speech communities.

Interdisciplinary Context and Conclusion

  • Ethnography of Communication is an aspect of Linguistic Anthropology.
  • Linguistic Anthropology is a hybrid discipline that merges the methods of Anthropology and Linguistics to investigate human interactions.
  • A standard feature of this field is its dependence on community practices and the real events that occur during linguistic performance.
  • The seven components of the SPEAKING framework are considered essential for the interpretation of speech events.
  • Key Takeaway: The discipline is the study of how language is used within cultural contexts to both convey and interpret meaning.