Yet language is a deeply paradoxical phenomenon. As humans, we are biologically programmed to learn language. Yet which language we learn is determined by our social experience. Language is a powerful system of communication. Yet it also is a primary tool for building boundaries between groups.
Languages are always coherent and logical, yet they are in a constant state of change over time.
Language is central to anthropological inquiry. Not only is an understanding of language necessary to communicate with our informants, but language is also a key to understanding the world from our informants' points of view. Because language is a way of coding experience and structuring one's understandings of the world, careful attention to language can provide important insights into cultural systems. The lectures and readings will present a great deal of material which you must learn and understand. Terms introduced in the early weeks of the course will be used routinely in later parts of the course, so you must make the effort to learn them.