Introduction

[John Bernard Bate]

My name is Barney Bate.  I am currently finishing a dissertation in
Anthropology at the University of Chicago.  I did my field work in Madurai,
Tamilnadu (S.India) on political oratory and associated modes of cultural
production (public meetings, rallies, stages, public address systems,
posters, etc.).  Politicians approximate a literary speech genre called
'beautiful' or 'fine Tamil' which is distinct from most forms of ordinary
speech (or 'vulgar Tamil').  I basically try to suggest why this genre
emerged within the last 50 years or so (despite sounding as though it were
spoken by kings and gods of yore), and what it means to producers and
consumers of this form of Tamil that politicians speak this way.

Other recent concerns/projects involve: linguistic ideologies of 'rhetoric'
(as historically and culturally situated notions of language use and
function); different models of 'tropes,' or different ideologies of meaning
transformation in different languages;  linguistic biography; the
unimaginable consequenses of colonial grammars (in, say, 20th century
nationalist movements,etc.); long-term transformations of broader political
communicative behavior.

I am happy that you all have put this list together.  I look forward to
future discussion.

Barney
_____________________________
Bernard Bate
5311 S. Woodlawn, #1
Chicago, IL 60615

h 773.684.0991