Visiting the Language Area
The language worker makes one or
more visits to the language area, usually in connection with another
activity, e.g. a university student returns to home village for
term-break; a literacy trainer visits a series of local schools; a
researcher conducts a sociolinguistic survey. Suitable contexts
for recording are identified or created, e.g. a meeting at the home of
a village elder known for story-telling ability; a public event where
people engage in story-telling or ritual chants; a conversation between
acquaintances about a significant event. The language worker may be a participant in any of these linguistic events.
Explaining the Purpose
The language worker explains that the recordings are being made for
educational and research purposes. Examples of these purposes are
given so that people appreciate the wide range of uses. The language
worker him/herself will be studying them. Others at the host
institution may listen to them. They will be kept in an archive in
Port Moresby, so that future generations can study them. They will be
available on the internet so that people in other countries can listen
to them. Speakers should not talk about secret knowledge, and should not slander anyone, since these recordings will have to be deleted. No-one is benefitting financially, and no-one is being paid
to speak.
Recording a Linguistic Event
Permission is obtained to record the linguistic event, and participants are asked to sign the permissions page in the logbook if they have not already done so. The folder is selected (B, C, or D). The
recorder is switched on, and the operator says the file identifier, the date and location,
and names the participant(s), while checking that the sound-level
indicator is working, before holding or placing the recorder close to
the main participant(s). A participant may wish to re-start the
recording, at which point the operator presses the stop button and then
begins a fresh recording with the same introduction as before (without
deleting anything).
Informal Recording Context
Eliciting a Wordlist
Using the
SIL PNG survey wordlist, elicit responses from a speaker of the language. Read out the numbers and the words/phrases (in English or Tok Pisin) and wait for a translation. Leave the recorder running the whole time.
Positioning the Voice Recorder
The language worker is responsible for operating the recorder, introducing the recording, then placing the recorder in a suitable position as follows:
- For monologue, the operator holds the recorder 10-15cm from the speaker's mouth, off to one side.
- For dialogue, the operator holds the recorder approximately midway between the two speakers; the speakers should not be more than a metre apart if possible; resist the temptation to move the recorder between speakers as this could interfere with natural turn-taking
- For larger groups, hold the recorder in a central position.
- If participants are seated at a table, the recorder can be placed on the table, so long as damping material (such as a hat) is placed between the table and the recorder.
- Try to avoid moving the recorder while people are speaking, since any slight contact or movement between the fingers and the recorder can introduce loud bumps into the recording.
Logbook: Text Details
Once a series of texts have been recorded, the logbook is updated, and texts of particular value are starred. Allow three lines of space for each row, and expect to fill several pages. Use a separate page for each folder of the voice recorder.
| | Date/Loc | Identifier | Operator | Participants | Type | Topic | Comments |
| * | 27/4/10
Moife
| G12-C09 | Name
| Name, Name, Name
| I | arrival story
|
|
| | 28/4/19
Kaagu
| G12-C10 | Name | Name | S | intertribal fight
| poor recording; forgot to get permission
|
Use the first column to star any recordings you think you might want
to transcribe later, due to their cultural or linguistic value.
Identify the type of oral discourse using a single letter abbreviation
from the following list:
Drama,
Formulaic discourse,
Interactive discourse,
Language play,
Oratory,
Narrative,
Procedural discourse,
Report,
Singing,
Unintelligible speech. Full definitions of these terms with examples are available
here. (Additionally, we use
Annotation,
Word list and
Topic) The comments column could note that a particular recording is low quality, or (later) that a recording was respoken and translated, and where that other material is found.
Updating Logbook with Details of New Recordings
Logbook: Permissions
At the back of the logbook, create a permissions page, with the following text at the top: "I give permission for the recordings of my tokples to be used for educational and research purposes." All people who are recorded must give their written consent. Also ask any elders to give their written consent, even if they are not recorded. At the end of the project these pages will be photographed, and the digital image will be archived with the audio recordings.
| Name | Gender | Date | Signature |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Entering Logbook Information Online
The logbook contains important information about the data collection work. At regular intervals, new content from the logbook should be typed into an online spreadsheet. The first time this is done, you need to request a copy of the
spreadsheet. Continue editing this file, adding new rows, and updating the comment fields. Participant logbooks will appear
here.
