field work etymology

Etymology:

• field: from Old English "feld," meaning "open land, cultivated or uncultivated"
• work: from Old English "weorc," meaning "activity, labor"

Meaning:

Fieldwork refers to the process of conducting research or collecting data in a real-world setting, where the research subjects or phenomena are studied in their natural environment. It is an essential aspect of qualitative and observational research methods.

Origin:

The term "fieldwork" emerged in the late 19th century as anthropologists and sociologists began to conduct research among non-Western cultures. Previously, research was primarily conducted in libraries and archives, but these scholars recognized the importance of observing and interacting with people in their everyday settings.

The origin of the term can be traced to British social anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski, who conducted groundbreaking fieldwork in the Trobriand Islands in the early 1900s. Malinowski spent an extended period of time living and interacting with the local people, immersing himself in their culture and observing their behavior firsthand. His approach became a model for modern fieldwork methods.

Related Terms:

• Ethnography: A specific type of fieldwork that involves the detailed study of a particular culture or group of people.
• Participant observation: A fieldwork method where the researcher directly participates in the activities of the research subjects.
• Qualitative research: A research approach that emphasizes the collection and analysis of non-numerical data, such as interviews, observations, and documents.

field work relate terms

• field

  Etymology The word field derives from the Middle English word feld which itself is d

• brief

  Etymology Origin Old English heafod Meaning Head Meaning The upper part of the

• piece

  Etymology Piece derives from the Old French word piece meaning fragment share por

• work

  Etymology The word work comes from the Old English word weorc which means to do t

• earn

  Etymology Middle English ernen from Old English earnian to get obtain or acquire

• desk

  Etymology The word desk comes from the Latin word discus which means disc or tab

• nocturne

  Etymology The word nocturne derives from Latin nocturnus meaning nightly Fren

• copy

  Etymology The word copy originates from the Middle English word copien meaning to

• croft

  Croft Etymology and Meaning Origin Old English Meaning A small enclosed field or piece

• cotton picking

  Etymology and Origin of Cotton Picking Origin The term cotton picking originated i

• acre

  Etymology The word acre derives from Old English æcer which is cognate with the Pr

• dystopia

  Etymology Dys Greek bad or difficult Topos Greek place Meaning A dy