Searching for Aboriginal Languages: Memoirs of a Field Worker
Robert M. W. Dixon
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.
