Anthropology of words 3224-D9ANTSŁ

Anthropology of language is a field of humanities research that treats language and words as a central phenomenon of culture, analysed in close connection with social practices, media, and the experiences of individuals and communities. It develops at the intersection of cultural anthropology, cultural studies, linguistics, and media theory, constituting an original Polish research proposal. The anthropology of language studies language as a cultural activity and practice, rather than merely as a system of signs detached from its social context. It encompasses both speaking and writing, as well as various forms of verbal creativity, the communication practices of institutions, and everyday ways of using language. The focus is on the relationship between words and the body, memory, emotions, power and identity, as well as the cultural diversity of forms of expression in different eras and environments. The anthropology of words also develops a reflection on the place of language in the transformations of modernity, globalization and media culture.

Anthropology of the Word: Subject Matter, Scope, and Research Traditions.
Language as a Cultural Phenomenon: Fundamental Concepts. Language, Culture, and Cognition: The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis and Its Reception
Models of Communication and the "Communicative Bias" of Modernity
Primary Orality: Myth, Magic, and Narrative
The Sacred Word: Religious Language and Canonical Texts
Everyday Literacy Practices: Letters, Diaries, and Legal Documents
Word, Power, and Institutions, Administrative Language.
Anthropology of the Word and Expert Discourses, and Propaganda
Anthropology of the Word and Memory: Biographical and Memory Narratives
Literary Production from the Perspective of the Anthropology of the Word
Electronic Media and "Secondary Orality." The Word Online: Internet Language and "New Media", AI
Anthropology of the Word and Feminist Discourse
Anthropology of the Word and Masculinist Discourse
Anthropology of the Word and Migration
Anthropology of the Word, Emotion, and Affect

Student workload includes:
Classroom participation – 30 hours (1 ECTS)
Preparing for classes – 30 hours (1 ECTS)

Term 2025Z:

Language as a cultural phenomenon
The course presents language not only as a system of signs, but above all as a cultural practice deeply intertwined with humans and their social activities. It analyses the main functions of language and the specific nature of its media: voice (orality), writing, print, digital and online words, as well as their cultural significance.
Types of word culture
The course explores the most significant historical and typological forms of the word in culture, including the spoken word, writing, print, and the electronic word. It analyses how different media of the word shape cultural practices and influence the development of civilisation (oral, written, typographic, and multimedia culture).
Language practices as cultural practices
The classes emphasise the specificity of language practices in both historical and contemporary contexts, highlighting their role in building social bonds, facilitating communication, shaping cognition, and forming identity.
An anthropological approach to the word
The word is treated as a practice that constitutes human beings, the essence of their linguistic nature and the basis of social relations. The communicative and cognitive functions of words, as well as their role in organising social and legal life, are analysed.
Methodology and research tools
The course develops the ability to use the tools of anthropological linguistics to analyse both historical and contemporary linguistic practices. Participants learn to independently formulate and test hypotheses, analyse sources and prepare research papers

Term 2026Z:

Course coordinators

Term 2026Z:

Irena Bilińska

Term 2025Z:

Robert Boroch

Type of course

obligatory courses

Prerequisites (description)

Anthropology of language is a subject that aims to present language as a cultural phenomenon analysed from an anthropological perspective. The subject focuses on the study of various forms of language in culture, their functions, practices and influence on social and civilizational life.

Learning outcomes

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge
Upon completing the course, the student will know and understand:
possesses comprehensive knowledge of anthropology of the word, with particular attention to the cultural and political contexts of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe; understands the specific characteristics of particular countries across the region in this matter, recognizes the similarities and differences between them, and is able to situate them within a broadly defined intercultural framework; is familiar with the impact of historical, social, and political events on the development of the language and the anthropology of word in the region (K_W09).

Skills
Upon completing the course, the student is able to:
search for, select, analyse and use necessary information from various sources (K_U01)
refer to acquired theoretical and practical knowledge and use it in typical professional statements concerning the anthropology of the word of the countries of the region, as well as the specificity of the region as a whole in a global context, constructing them logically and referring to the positions of other participants in these communication situations (K_U06)
communicate using various communication channels and techniques on anthropology of word’s topics concerning the countries of the region (K_U07)
independently prepare a written and oral statement in Polish and a foreign language on selected topics in the field of literature and present the results of their work to the group (K_U08)
plan and organize individual and team work, plan and implement the process of independent learning, including specialist knowledge, after graduation (K_U10)
use modern communication and information technologies in their work (K_U11).

Social Competences
Upon completing the course, the student is prepared to:
critical assessment of existing knowledge, continuous learning and supplementing acquired knowledge and skills (K_K01)
effective communication and living in society, including in a culturally diverse society, working in a team, coping with typical professional situations, verifying one's views through factual discussion and evaluating one's knowledge (K_K02).

Assessment criteria

Assessment Criteria

The final grade is composed of:
Participation in class sessions – 30 hours (1 ECTS)
Preparation for classes – 30 hours (1 ECTS)

In order to obtain a positive grade for the semester, students must prepare one presentation on a selected topic and demonstrate active participation during classes.

Grading system:
99 – 100% - 5 (excellent)
93 - 98% - 5 (very good)
87 - 92% - 4,5 (fairly good)
77 - 86% - 4 (good)
71 - 76% - 3,5 (satisfactory plus)
60 - 70% - 3 (satisfactory)

Bibliography

Barthes, R. (1957). Mythologies. Paris: Éditions du Seuil.

Godlewski, G. (Red.). (2003). Antropologia słowa: Zagadnienia i wybór tekstów. Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.

Godlewski, G., Karpowicz, A., & Rakoczy, M. (Red.). (2010). Antropologia praktyk językowych. Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.

Łotman, J. M. (1999). Kultura i eksplozja (B. Żyłko, Tłum.). Warszawa: Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy.

Narula, U. (2006). Communication models. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors.
S. Obirek, Uskrzydlony umysł. Antropologia słowa Waltera Onga, Warszawa 2010.

Ong, W. J. (po 2011). Oralność i piśmienność. Słowo poddane technologii. Lublin / Warszawa: Wydawnictwo KUL / Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.

Rakoczy, M. (2012). Słowo – działanie – kontekst. O etnograficznej koncepcji języka Bronisława Malinowskiego. Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.

Żyłko, B. (2011). Semiotyka kultury. Szkoła tartusko-moskiewska. Gdańsk: słowo/obraz terytoria.

Term 2025Z:

iteratura podstawowa:

Antropologia słowa. Zagadnienia i wybór tekstów, oprac. Grzegorz Godlewski, Andrzej Mencwel, Roch Sulima, red. i wstęp Grzegorz Godlewski, WUW, Warszawa 2003.

Literatura uzupełniająca:

- Laura Ahern, "Antropologia lingwistyczna. Wprowadzenie", przeł. W. Usakiewicz, Kraków 2013 (wybór);
- Roland Barthes, "Mit dzisiaj" [w:] "Mitologie", przeł. A. Dziadek, Warszawa 2000;
- Pierre Bourdieu, "Szkic teorii praktyki", przeł. W. Kroker, Kęty 2007 (część druga);
-Béatrice Fraenkel, "Pojęcie wydarzenia piśmiennego", przeł. Nicole Dołowy, [w:] "Antropologia pisma: od teorii do praktyki", red. Philippe Artières, Paweł Rodak, WUW, Warszawa 2010;
- Grzegorz Godlewski, "Konstelacja Teuta: nowe terytoria" [w:] tegoż, "Słowo – pismo – sztuka słowa. Perspektywy antropologiczne", Warszawa 2008,
- Jack Goody, "Mit, rytuał i oralność", przeł. O. Kaczmarek, Warszawa 2012, rozdział IX,
- Zuzanna Grębecka, "Słowo magiczne poddane technologii", Kraków 2006 (wybrane rozdziały),
- Harold A. Innis, "Nachylenie komunikacyjne" [w:] "Communicare. Almanach antropologiczny. Tom 2", tłum. A. Melon-Regulska, s.9
- Michał Paweł Markowski, "ciało, które czyta, ciało, które pisze" [w:] R. Barthes, "S/Z", Warszawa 1999.
- Marta Rakoczy, "Słowo – działanie – kontekst. O etnograficznej koncepcji słowa Bronisława Malinowskiego", Warszawa 2012 (wybór),
- Anna Rogozińska, Matylda Szewczyk, "Internet jako medium i jako przestrzeń społeczna", [w:] "Communicare. Almanach antropologiczny. Tom 4",
- Łukasz Sommer, "Język jako czynnik narodotwórczy" [w:] "Mowa ojców potrzebna od zaraz", Warszawa 2009
- Hayden White, "Poetyka pisarstwa historycznego", Kraków 2000 (wybór),

Term 2026Z:

iteratura podstawowa:

Antropologia słowa. Zagadnienia i wybór tekstów, oprac. Grzegorz Godlewski, Andrzej Mencwel, Roch Sulima, red. i wstęp Grzegorz Godlewski, WUW, Warszawa 2003.

Literatura uzupełniająca: