Terms like the "n-word," as the text suggests, carry a wide range of meanings. in a similar way, use of the term "queer" has had many different uses and meanings over the past decade. the use of such terms illustrates what concept in linguistic anthropology

The use of such terms illustrates "the implications of how deeply language and power intersect".

Linguistic anthropology is the interdisciplinary investigation of how dialect impacts social life. It is a branch of humanities that began from the undertaking to report endangered dialects, and has become over the previous century to envelop most parts of dialect structure and use.

Linguistic anthropology investigates how dialect shapes correspondence, frames social character and gathering enrollment, composes huge scale social convictions and belief systems, and builds up a typical social portrayal of common and social universes.

The use of such words is an example of focal vocabulary. Focal vocabulary is a terminology that changes with special sophistication to define the unique cultural realities undergone by a group of people.

EXPLANATION:

Every language has a vocabulary called lexicon. Semantics is the study of systems of language meaning. Anthropologists are mostly interested in ethnosemantics, a study of semantics in certain cultural contexts. Ethnosemantics makes anthropologists comprehend how people define, understand, and order their world.  

Focal vocabulary is a collection of words related to essential aspects of culture. For example, Saami, the native deer hunters in Scandinavia, have many words for deer, ice, and snow. The terminology of snow and ice is in accordance with the physical condition of the layers and alterations because of temperature and weather. The terminology of a deer is mainly based on gender, color, age, and appearance of various parts of the body, but maybe based on other variables like personality and habits.

Some linguists say that lexicon influences people's insights about various things, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. For instance, Nuer of Sudan have a complicated vocabulary for describing livestock. Nuer have many names for livestock because of a certain economy, history, and environment of livestock. This type of comparison has given rise to several linguistic controversies, as is the case with several "Eskimo words for snow". English speakers with related specialized information can also display complex and appropriate vocabularies for snow and livestock when needed.

LEARN MORE:  

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, we recommend you to also take a look at the following questions:

•What limits do anthropological studies of modern societies have as historical sources?

•What idea introduced by Malinowski is fundamental to all research conducted by contemporary cultural anthropologists??

KEYWORDS: focal vocabulary, linguistics relativity, cultural anthropology, ethnosemantics

Subject  : Social Studies

Class  : College

Sub-Chapter: Focal Vocabulary