Linguistic Anthropologist Studies Language Of Cultures example essay topic

A). the subareas of anthropology introduced by Haviland cover a broad range of topics and methods of inquiry. What concerns, issues, concepts or methods draw them together as part of a single discipline? Anthropology is the comprehensive study of humanity in all its manifestations and in all times and places. It is holistic and it examines aspects of human action through the perspectives of the sciences and the humanities. Its traditional four sub fields (archaeology, linguistics, cultural, and physical anthropology) study human beings and human societies from a disciplinary perspective and from both evolutionary and humanistic points of view. Physical Anthropology Physical anthropology, also called biological anthropology, is the sub field of anthropology that focuses on the biological aspect of humans, especially how it relates to cultural practices, evolution, and the environment.

The sub field itself is divided into three major branches, which often overlap: paleoanthropology (the study of fossil humans and near relatives); primatology (the study of primates -- humans, apes, monkeys, and prosimians); and the study of modern human variation and adaptation. Physical anthropology also focus on is the study of present-day human variation. In other words we as humans are members of the same species, we also differ from each other not only in visual traits but biochemical traits too (Haviland 2003: 10) Archaeology An archaeologist "seeks to explain human behavior by studying materials objects from the past cultures" (Haviland 2003: 5) Anthropological archaeologists are usually, but not exclusively, concerned with the prehistoric cultures of our early ancestors, people who existed before the emergence of agriculture, the domestication of animals, and the use of metals. Sources in Haviland states that, "Those physical anthropologist engaged in the recovery and study of the fossil evidence for human evolution, as opposed to those who study present-day people, are generally known as paleo anthropologist" (2003: 34). Paleoanthropology, archaeology and physical anthropology tie together in a single discipline because they all deal with human evolution, behavior, and biochemical traits. Cultural Anthropology Cultural anthropologists seek to understand different groups and societies by examining their underlying culture from a holistic perspective.

Studies say that culture anthropology is connected with sociology. The both have been compared in dealing with the behavior of people in different societies (Haviland 2003: 10) Culture can be defined as the entire collection of a group or society's values, beliefs, traditions, and perceptions. Every aspect of a group or society -- from family structure, social control, political and economic structures, to religious, artistic, and linguistic principles, even the way we dress and the food we eat is all part of culture. As the cultural anthropologist deals with the behavior of people in a society, the ethnologist is a branch off the cultural anthropologist. Ethnology is the comparative study of different cultures. It is concerned with matters of theory regarding the relationship between human behavior and culture and the factors responsible for observable similarities and differences between cultures.

According to Haviland, in ethnology there is a fundamental approach called ethnography. That's when the ethnologist goes out into a society and understudy people and the way they live in their culture and that becomes ethnography (2003: 14). Linguistic Anthropology In many cultures language is a way of expression from one another "it is what allows people to preserve and transmit their culture from generation to generation" (Haviland 2003: 13). The linguistic anthropologist studies language of cultures and how it is maintained and passed down by different generations. It also focus on the description and history of language, the way a sentence is said and the way the language has changed in time. The theories and methods of linguistic anthropology are introduced through a discussion of linguistic diversity, grammar in use, the role of speaking in social interaction, the organization and meaning of conversational structures.

All anthropological aspects are studying humans; however, the focus and perspectives are different. Based on the different areas of studies, the focus includes human behavior cultural and biological aspects, and different groups and society. The combination helps one understands the historical make up of human beings.