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Robert M. W. Dixon

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Searching for Aboriginal Languages: Memoirs of a Field Worker Hardcover – January 1, 1983

by R.M.W. Dixon (Author)

4.8 6 ratings

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In 1963 R. M. W. (Bob) Dixon set off for Australia, where he was to record, chart, and preserve several of the complex and nearly extinct Aboriginal languages. Beginning with his introduction to these languages while a graduate student at the University of Edinburgh and his difficulties in getting to the Australian bush, Dixon's fourteen-year tale is one of frustration and enlightenment, of setbacks and discoveries.As he made his way through northern Australia, Dixon was dependent on rumors of Aboriginal speakers, the unreliable advice of white Australians, and the faulty memories of many of the remaining speakers of the languages. Suggestions of informants led him on a circuitous trail through the bush, to speakers such as the singer Willie Kelly in Ravenshoe, who wanted his recordings sent to the south, "where white people would pay big money to hear a genuine Aborigine sing" and Chloe Grant in Murray Upper, who told tales in four dialects of digging wild yams, of the blue-tongue lizard Banggara, and of the arrival of Captain Cook. Dixon tells of obtaining the trust of possible informants, of learning the customs and terrain of the country, and of growing understanding of the culture and tradition of his subjects. And he explains his surprise at his most unexpected that the rich oral tradition of the "primitive" Aborigines could yield a history of a people, as told by that people, that dates to almost ten millenia before.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B017S75CEQ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Queensland Press (January 1, 1983)

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4.8 out of 5

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Sam Green

Explore and learn about the world and the various cultures in it

Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2016

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Funny, wise, passionate - a lovely present for geeky people who are into native languages:)

One person found this helpful

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Sean Burke

A must-read

Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2000

This is a fascinating book.
First off, it presents a close-up view of what the last stages of language death are like -- the language is spoken by only two or three people very old people. They may speak it well, or may speak it haltingly, or may only remember a few phrases. And then they die, and there went the language. Since most of the languages in the US and in the world are headed toward that fate in the next forty years, I think it's time people get to see what it looks like, and what a great loss it is.
Second off, this book is the closest I've seen anyone manage to explaining what it is that we linguists do. If only this book got half the press that Steven Pinker's ramnblings get!
And third off, this book recalls some of the daily experiences of the author's travels in rural Australia, among the Aborigines. As one rarely reads anything about Australian Aborigines, or rural Australia in general, this alone makes it interesting. I, for one, had no idea that the Aborigines were, until recently, in a situation combining some of the worst features of Apartheid and of what the US was doing to its Natives in the 19th century.

16 people found this helpful

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Crno Srce

Interesting glimpse into recent Australian history

Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2010

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This work describes the travels, adventures, and characters of a linguistics field-worker, mostly in 1960's Australia.

Although there is much in this book specific to the work of a linguistics field-worker, it is full of enough interesting tales, characters and recent Australian history to make it accessible to a more general audience. It also acts as both a guide for the new linguistics researcher and will probably help anyone making their first forays in this area.

The writing style is clear and easy to read. For the general reader the diversions into areas of linguistics related to Australian Aboriginal languages should not be too distracting. It is certainly worth reading for an understanding of the political and social situation for Aboriginals in modern day Australia. Dixon makes an insightful point that white society was able to destroy traditional Aboriginal culture, religions and values very effectively in many areas of Australia, but was much less effective in replacing these with anything.

The only drawback for me was that there were some descriptions of the details of driving around Australia which seemed somewhat gratuitous (eg., "drove back to the town, took the first left, crossed the bridge and stopped at the third house"). Not all such descriptions feel unnecessary - many give a real sense of the areas in which Dixon's informants lived. Dixon states at the end of the book that he wrote the whole first draft from memory - considering the detail of his recollections, this is an impressive feat!

It's sad to think that even all these years since the events described (and the book being published), Aboriginal culture is still not widely appreciated by most Australians. Aboriginal languages are finally being taught in some schools, but mostly in those areas with a high percentage of Aboriginal students. As this book shows, greater understanding between different peoples can only grow with an appreciation and understanding of each other's language and culture.

In short, if the description of the book sounds like something you might be interested in, then I can say you won't be disappointed and you will be richer for the experience.

5 people found this helpful

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Shane White

One of the books that’s influenced me the most

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 11, 2020

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This book is far more than just a memoir about a linguist’s field work in 1970s Australia, although the author discusses the intricacies of that wonderfully.

It’s about friendship, hard work, new experiences, respect for Aboriginal cultural traditions, bridging the gap between the old and the young and so much more.

I first read this when I was 17 and I still vividly remember how much it influenced my outlook on life, both in terms of what I wanted to do as a career and more broadly in how much I learnt from this book about Australian society that I was never taught by anybody else.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in linguistics, Australian society in the twentieth century, travel, the treatment of Australian Aboriginal people since the arrival of Europeans...
The book covers so much in relatively few pages and in a style that’s very easy to follow, it really is a fantastic book.

Satisfied customer

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 2, 2015

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This was a Christmas present.

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