LEDS first session of 2018-19: Why ethnography? Introducing linguistic ethnography – 24 October 2018

Are you a seasoned linguistic ethnographer? Or perhaps it’s the first time you have heard the term linguistic ethnography and you are intriguingly confused? Do you have interactional data concerning language use in a particular social environment that you are starting to analyse and interpret? Or are you planning to use ethnographic methods to investigate a social setting and language use within it?  Or would you simply like to find out more?

The Linguistic Ethnography Discussion and Study Group (LEDS) is a forum for collaborative exploration of questions about how social and linguistic processes are interrelated, and about how and why ethnographic methods can be usefully combined with approaches to studying language.  Whatever your knowledge and experience of linguistic ethnography, if your curiosity is piqued then LEDS is the venue for you!

Meetings of LEDS will be running in 2018-19 at Cardiff University, co-ordinated by Cardiff Centre for Language and Communication Research members Judith Reynolds and Piotr Wegorowski.   Everyone is welcome, including both Cardiff-based students and researchers, and those based further afield.  A short description of the group, and examples of past discussion and study topics, can be found on our blog: https://blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/leds/.

LEDS sessions are very informal, and generally feature a broad topic-based discussion on a question, issue or topic chosen by a group member.  Subjects could range from general questions about ethnographic methods in research about language, to specific data or ethical dilemmas.

We will meet for the first time in 2018-19 on Wednesday, 24^th October from 4.30 – 5.30pm in Room 3.66, John Percival Building (Colum Drive Campus), to discuss the topic “Why ethnography? Introducing linguistic ethnography”. Led by Judith and Piotr, we will discuss what ethnography means for us, primarily as linguistic researchers, both in theory and in practice.

In the past, LEDS sessions have run for an hour, with an optional further half an hour available for discussions for those able to stay (i.e. until 6pm); we will discuss the exact format for 2018-19 meetings at our first meeting on 24^th October.  Possible topics for future meetings will also be discussed. If you cannot make the first meeting but would like to get involved at some point or have any suggestions, do get in touch by email with either Judith (reynoldsj15@cardiff.ac.uk) or Piotr (wegorowskip@cardiff.ac.uk).  We look forward to seeing you!