Re: the lack of coverage

Dan Hickerson (Danhickers@AOL.COM)
Sat, 26 Oct 1996 12:15:54 -0400

In a message dated 96-10-25 16:51:34 EDT, you write:


<< I've had people asssume, on learning that I'm an anthropologist, that I
know
<<which races people belong to. When they find out that I also do
linguistics,
<< they assume I know what "good grammar" is (actually these two
misconceptions <<are
<<more closely related than they might at first appear). This is (one of)
our
<<biggest failing(s): letting people know what we do, and what it means.
And that
<<goes for both anthropology and linguistics. >>

Next time you teach an intro to anthropology class, on the first day of class
(before you have begun to lecture) have your students write down what they
think anthropology is. The range of answers that I have gotten is both
amazing and disturbing. Many of them have absolutely no clue what they are
going to be studying.

Dan Hickerson