ABSTRACT

The playfulness and poetry of language demand close attention to the history and culture of the people with whom one is collaborating. The diversity of languages and cultures in Latin America adds to the richness and complexity of conducting oral history research. Essential for some research projects and crucial for disseminating results to multiple audiences, translation seldom transfers the entirety of meaning from one language to another. Historically, many Latin American elites, bureaucrats, teachers, and other authority figures have derided people who maintained their distinct languages. Neocolonial social and political relations influence narratives specific to a language. Gaps in communication and comprehension are not limited to language. Like interviewees, interviewers influence the interview with their body language and nonverbal cues. The motive and context of the performance, whether it be an oral history interview or another manifestation that reveals something about the past, are crucial for interpreting the information gathered.