1. The archive Jan Blommaert

2. Fieldwork is communication and produces texts (Fabian) Fieldwork is communication and produces texts (Fabian) Attention to such texts is methodologically crucial Attention to such texts is methodologically crucial What kinds of texts do we produce?What kinds of texts do we produce? How do we produce them?How do we produce them? What kinds of information do these texts yield?What kinds of information do these texts yield?

3. Interviews

4. Two layers (1) Providing ‘information’ on a particular research topic (1) Providing ‘information’ on a particular research topic ‘what’ people say on a topic‘what’ people say on a topic (2) Providing interactionally organized talk on a topic (2) Providing interactionally organized talk on a topic ‘how’ people talk on a topic‘how’ people talk on a topic Pragmatic and metapragmatic orientationsPragmatic and metapragmatic orientations

5. Attention to (1) only: denotational, abstract, quantifiable Attention to (1) only: denotational, abstract, quantifiable (2) yields real data (2) yields real data Sociocultural embedding of certain topicsSociocultural embedding of certain topics Influence from the interviewer & genreInfluence from the interviewer & genre The social and cultural distribution of knowledgeThe social and cultural distribution of knowledge

6. M, N = Belgian female interviewers E = 15-year old South African girl 1. M: ehr do you. like ehr. going to school? 1. M: ehr do you. like ehr. going to school? 2. E: [quietly] yah xxxxx 2. E: [quietly] yah xxxxx 3. M: this one *you like / 3. M: this one *you like / 4. N: yeah? 4. N: yeah? 5. E: yes it’s very nice / 5. E: yes it’s very nice / 6. M: how come? … why do you like it / or 6. M: how come? … why do you like it / or 7. E: ehr it’s the first / it is the first time tha’ we have a *community school here in westbank/ and now come together to school so 7. E: ehr it’s the first / it is the first time tha’ we have a *community school here in westbank/ and now come together to school so 8. M: yeah 8. M: yeah 9. E:.. like.. meeting new people.. and sort of. we are getting proud of our school 9. E:.. like.. meeting new people.. and sort of. we are getting proud of our school 10. M: You’re pride of your school? 10. M: You’re pride of your school? 11. E: yeah pride 11. E: yeah pride 12. N: do you like all the courses. that you follow here? 12. N: do you like all the courses. that you follow here? 13. E: yes miss 13. E: yes miss Submissive stance

7. Q: what does B think about a new government campaign in which traditional male-female role patterns were questioned (clips on TV with men doing the dishes and women driving bulldozers) A: ehrm.. people have said some people about that campaign/ like ehr. yeah but the government should not interfere in that. A: ehrm.. people have said some people about that campaign/ like ehr. yeah but the government should not interfere in that. B: yes, in fact that is right, the government should not prescribe what happens in=inside a family/ We get controlled already in so many respects, and in fact it’s a bit ridiculous that they say=say stuff like that from the government down// so people must be able to determine THEMSELVES whether or not they want their husbands to do the laundry and cooking and ironing or that they don’t want that/ that’s something people have to decide for themselves, but about which a government or a cabinet minister should not INTERFERE// that campaign in itself.. well.. the PRINCIPLE behind it I fully support, but the interference from above. well. I think that’s a bit of a crazy idea / [style shift: louder and nodding towards the living room where her husband sits] that was MICHEL’s reaction too = like what is she INTERFERING with. B: yes, in fact that is right, the government should not prescribe what happens in=inside a family/ We get controlled already in so many respects, and in fact it’s a bit ridiculous that they say=say stuff like that from the government down// so people must be able to determine THEMSELVES whether or not they want their husbands to do the laundry and cooking and ironing or that they don’t want that/ that’s something people have to decide for themselves, but about which a government or a cabinet minister should not INTERFERE// that campaign in itself.. well.. the PRINCIPLE behind it I fully support, but the interference from above. well. I think that’s a bit of a crazy idea / [style shift: louder and nodding towards the living room where her husband sits] that was MICHEL’s reaction too = like what is she INTERFERING with. ‘borrowing’ key terms from interviewer Cooperativity in conversation

8. yes, in fact that is right, the government should not prescribe what happens in=inside a family/ We get controlled already in so many respects, and in fact it’s a bit ridiculous that they say=say stuff like that from the government down// so people must be able to determine THEMSELVES whether or not they want their husbands to do the laundry and cooking and ironing or that they don’t want that/ that’s something people have to decide for themselves, but about which a government or a cabinet minister should not INTERFERE// that campaign in itself.. well.. the PRINCIPLE behind it I fully support, but the interference from above. well. I think that’s a bit of a crazy idea / that was MICHEL’s reaction too = like what is she INTERFERING with. Support ~~ authority (I make sense) Frames: People (us) – government (them) People decide, government interferes (Neo) liberal-democratic ideology

9. We get ‘information’ We get ‘information’ BUT BUT Blended with orientations towards that information Blended with orientations towards that information organised relationally (interviewer and Michel) organised relationally (interviewer and Michel) In terms of sociocultural and political frames In terms of sociocultural and political frames And organised as an argument And organised as an argument

10. Layer (1) can be better investigated when layer (2) is taken into account Layer (1) can be better investigated when layer (2) is taken into account In statistics, layer (2) falls under ‘error margin’ In statistics, layer (2) falls under ‘error margin’ But (2) provides essential sociocultural information on knowledge (> opinions, attitudes etc) But (2) provides essential sociocultural information on knowledge (> opinions, attitudes etc) The sociocultural position from where knowledge is formulated The sociocultural position from where knowledge is formulated

11. Knowing this position gives a sociological reality to interview data Knowing this position gives a sociological reality to interview data People are not the samePeople are not the same E.g. a politician vs a layperson on politics; doctor vs patient on illnessE.g. a politician vs a layperson on politics; doctor vs patient on illness

12. fieldnotes

13. 18/3/08 Chumisa Primary Visit to Khayelitsha primary school. Head Mr Bongo: biggest problem is teacher qualification (also extends to literacy) Best students prefer to become university drop- outs rather than teachers Teachers from Zimbabwe are coming into S Africa now English: teachers are struggling, so pupils are struggling  (sigh) « we need a new generation of teachers » Privilege of being a teacher has disappeared, but there is a govt campaign now to promote teaching. Compulsory school age: 15 (grade 9) years old. Very low parent participation in schools in SA (better in Zimbabwe)

14. A small, concise record of interaction-in-the field A small, concise record of interaction-in-the field Governed by interests (entries reflect my questions) Governed by interests (entries reflect my questions) Genre: ‘accuracy’ (date, place, names, direct speech) Genre: ‘accuracy’ (date, place, names, direct speech) Notation style reflects the kind of interaction Notation style reflects the kind of interaction

15. Dialogue, interaction, ‘dictation’, language learning

16. Monologue, interpretation, reflection

17. 21/4/08 > Inari Skolts Sami radio journalist has network of old ladies who advice her on language. Her own knowledge is self-reported as limited, but the radio is Skolts-only. An extreme example of a general principle: that lg resources are unevenly distributed over a community, warranting collaborative work for accomplishing complex lg tasks. From dialogue to monologue

18. « Objects are souvenirs, made for displacement containing the emblematic authenticity that speaks about origins and journeys » « Objects are souvenirs, made for displacement containing the emblematic authenticity that speaks about origins and journeys » ‘preformulation’ of publication, jargonised

19. We use a whole range of genres of fieldnotes We use a whole range of genres of fieldnotes Each of these genres has different characteristics Each of these genres has different characteristics Reflect different aspect of ‘learning’ Reflect different aspect of ‘learning’ Immediate reflexes of interaction and confrontationImmediate reflexes of interaction and confrontation More distant reflexes, tuned into ‘research focus’More distant reflexes, tuned into ‘research focus’ Preformulations (semi-finished products)Preformulations (semi-finished products) Mixed, transitional genresMixed, transitional genres

20. Fieldnotes are a repository of our own learning trajectory Fieldnotes are a repository of our own learning trajectory ‘confrontational’: the field vs our own a prioris ‘confrontational’: the field vs our own a prioris Need to be used as such: as an archive of stages of learning, biased by our own logic Need to be used as such: as an archive of stages of learning, biased by our own logic