Talk and Practical Epistemology: The Social Life of Knowledge in a Caribbean Community

Portada
John Benjamins Publishing, 2005 M01 1 - 255 páginas
Drawing on the methods of conversation analysis and ethnography, this book sets out to examine the epistemological practices of Indo-Guyanese villagers as these are revealed in their talk and daily conduct. Based on over eighty-five hours of conversation recorded during twelve months of ethnographic fieldwork, the book describes both the social distribution of knowledge and the villagers' methods for distinguishing between fact and fancy, knowledge and belief through close analyses of particular encounters. The various chapters consider uncertainty and expertise in advice-giving, the cultivation of ignorance in an attempt to avoid scandal, and the organization of peer groups through the display of knowledge in the activity of reminiscing local history. An orienting chapter on questions and an appendix provide an introduction to conversation analysis. The book makes a contribution to linguistic anthropology, conversation analysis and cross-cultural pragmatics. The conclusion discusses the implications of the analysis for current understanding of practice, knowledge and social organization in anthropology and neighboring disciplines.
 

Contenido

CHAPTER
10
Knowledge and talkininteraction 19 1
19
CHAPTER 3
41
CHAPTER 4
59
The vernacular
75
CHAPTER 6
93
Uncertainty and expertise in advice
107
CHAPTER 7
131
CHAPTER 8
145
Policing knowledge
171
Knowledge belief and action
187
APPENDIX
207
Notes
223
References
239
Index
253
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