description Joel Sherzer Overview
Joel Sherzer (1942-2022) was an American anthropological linguist known for long-term research with the Guna people of Panama, formerly widely called the Kuna. He analyzed language in social and cultural context, with particular attention to speech play, storytelling, chants, songs, and other forms of verbal art. His books include Kuna Ways of Speaking (1983) and Speech Play and Verbal Art (2002), and his field recordings and documents are preserved in the Kuna Collection at the Archive of the Indigenous Languages of Latin America.
help Joel Sherzer FAQ
Who are the Guna studied by Joel Sherzer?
The Guna are an Indigenous people of Panama who were formerly widely called the Kuna. Sherzer analyzed Guna language as part of social life, including politics, ritual, medicine, storytelling, and everyday conversation.
What is Kuna Ways of Speaking about?
Kuna Ways of Speaking: An Ethnographic Perspective was published by the University of Texas Press in 1983 and is 260 pages long. It examines naturally occurring speech in contexts such as curing, puberty rites, political gatherings, greetings, and ordinary conversation. [Yale eHRAF summary](https://ehrafworldcultures.yale.edu/cultures/sb05/documents/039)
What does Joel Sherzer mean by speech play and verbal art?
He studies how people use patterned language, joking, performance, chanting, and storytelling to create social meaning. His 2002 book Speech Play and Verbal Art names this focus directly and extends his discourse-centered approach.
What other Guna material did Joel Sherzer publish?
His Guna research also produced Verbal Art in San Blas and Stories, Myths, Chants, and Songs of the Kuna Indians. The University of Texas archive describes these works as part of a broader study of Guna verbal artistry and discourse. [University of Texas archive](https://txarchives.org/utlac/finding_aids/00558.xml)
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