Humanities Homework Help

In this exercise you will classify the items on a “beverage list” into categories—that is, semantic domains—as YOU see them. You will also choose two informants and learn how THEY categorize the beverages. You will then write a discussion of how they compare with each other’s and with yours. You will be surprised, I think, at how many different ways there are to categorize this list of beverages! There is absolutely NO right way or wrong way, and you will need to emphasize this with your informants. Please read the following instructions thoroughly.

Instructions:

(1) Look at the list of beverages [see PDF above] and decide how you would categorize them. Label each category with a name that makes sense to YOU. Write up your own list, using as many categories as you see fit, and include a brief justification of what the category means in your system. For example, “This category includes beverages that are – – -.” This just briefly explains your system of categorizing.  

(2) Next, find two “informants”–friends, family members, or colleagues. Print each of them a copy of the basic list of beverages and ask them to divide it into categories according to their own ideas. Give your informant minimal instructions—let them know there is no right or wrong answer—that you simply want to know how THEY would group the beverages. **IMPORTANT: Work with each informant separately, so that they don’t discuss the beverages with each other. If someone doesn’t know what a beverage is, don’t tell them—whatever they figure out in terms of classifying it is part of your data.

(3) After each informant has grouped the beverages, ask for their rationale or logic in doing so, and take notes. Important: Don’t put words in your informant’s mouth. You want to know what THEY think. In your informant’s views, what are the major differences between items? That is, why do your informants put things into those categories? Note: don’t expect that they will categorize things the same way YOU do.  

Your completed assignment should include the following:

A list of beverages grouped into semantic domains according to YOUR views

A list of beverages grouped into semantic domains according to each of your two INFORMANTS’ views [all three lists can be handwritten or typed]

Discussion Section: Compare and contrast the three semantic systems. What is your analysis of the cultural rules, ways of looking at things, world view, religious perspectives, or whatever seems relevant to you? Did this exercise provide any information about your informant’s habits, lifestyle, interests, or etc.? What kinds of social or cultural factors (other than personal preference) might be relevant (if any) among the three of you?