the village of Mipom
5.2.2 A skill demonstrated
Turning from this ‘on the job-training’ situations to another kind of learning, we shall look at an instance of expert-novice interaction, videotaped during my longer stay in Mipom. On this occasion I had arranged a meeting with a lady of some 60 years, Tobi, to show me how the Nizaa used to ‘crochet’. Crocheting turned out to be a sewed coiling technique for making platters and lids from a fibrous grass calledbàlí, with the help of an awl. A bundle of fibres is coiled around itself and kept in place by a fibre stitching each coil to the preceding in an everwidening spiral. The tool used as awl was the iron pin normally used for dividing the hair in order to plait it. To show me, Tobi had undone a little of an old platter, and was now redoing it while I taped. Then two teenage girls, Doudou and Loumbi, came by. They were immediately drawn to watching Tobi’s work, not casually like a couple of other bystanders, but seriously observing. Tobi herself just as naturally fell into a teaching role.
The guiding idea of the following partitioning and analysis of the interaction is Goodwin’s use of contextual configuration to analyse talk-in-interaction (Goodwin 2000). Importantly, it is Tobi’s work that structures the interaction, more than what she says, or rather, her talk is organised by what she is doing. At the same time, the talk is used to underline and set apart cycles of actions as phases of plattermaking. The cycles of plattermaking actions together with the linguistic marker of each cycle’s end form the basis for the partitioning of the transcribed interaction.
Their interaction is transcribed, commented and analysed in the following pages. Tobi is the principal speaker of the episode, this has caused a slightly different transcription format than the usual one presented in Chapter 3.3.3:
Instead of keeping together a speaker’s turn as one numbered piece regardless of length, her speech is divided into numbered turns separated by the longer pauses, to avoid transcribing the interaction as only two or three very long turns by Tobi.
Transcript 5.1 The platter, cycle 1 Original:
(0)
(0.0 Loumbi kneels in front of Tobi, watching. Tobi holds platter with l.h., 05.9 sticks awl with r.h. into platter rim to make a hole. 04.1 Doudou approaches and sit down at Tobi’s left, watching.)
(1)Tobi: 06.4 (teasing the girls) M´un gh´E´E âiwu swiiN s´ı´ır´e lo`, `a t´ıNw bending her head to get a good view.
Tobi’s holds the platter in front of her, slightly towards Loumbi) (2)Tobi: 17.0To`o. (glances at Loumbi,
17.3 Loumbi rises and bends over Tobi) Ná wú será ná?18.8
(Tobi tightens the fibre, lifts r.h.
away, glances to the ground [0.7] )
English translattion:
(0)
(0.0 Loumbi kneels in front of Tobi, watching. Tobi holds platter with l.h., 05.9 sticks awl with r.h. into platter rim to make a hole. 04.1 Doudou approaches and sit down at Tobi’s left, watching.)
(1)Tobi:06.4(teasing the girls)Since you-pl are to stay all day watching today, you-pl will crochet all day, then.06.5
(Doudou watches work intently, glances at Loumbi. 07.8 Tobi threads sewing fibre through hole with some difficulty, starts tightening 17.0 Loumbi watches intently, bending her head to get a good view. Tobi’s holds the platter in front of her, slightly towards Loumbi)
(2)Tobi: 17.0 Well. (glances at Loumbi 17.3, Loumbi rises and bends over Tobi) You did see that, right?18.8
(Tobi tightens the fibre, lifts r.h. away, glances to the ground [0.7])
Cycle 1, turns (0–2): As the scene starts, Loumbi has just arrived and sat down in front of Tobi, and seconds later Doudou sits down as well, watching from Tobi’s left, see Fig. 5.6 on the next page. Tobi greets them both with a humourous phrase, turn (1), saying that as they are going to stay watching the whole day, they will undoubtedly crochet the whole day too. She knows perfectly well that they will be off again in a minute, having other things than crocheting to do. As they sit down, Tobi makes a hole in the platter-rim with the awl, threads the sewing fibre through it and tightens it. While tightening, she says‘Well’, quickly glancing directly at Loumbi in front of her, see Fig. 5.7 on page 157. The effect is immediate: Loumbi rises and bends over Tobi’s hands to see better what Tobi is doing. It is the only point at which Tobi looks directly at any of the girls in the interaction, and should be considered a fairly strong act from Tobi to draw Loumbi into the activity going on. Loumbi stays crouched over Tobi’s hands for the rest of the sequence, see
5.2. LEARNING SKILLS IN MIPOM
Figure 5.6: Intent observation from Doudou when Tobi shows how to make a platter, turn (1).
Fig. 5.8 on page 157. Though Tobi in this way seems to mark Loumbi especially as her target, Doudou on the side stays just as intent and interested, as can be seen in Fig. 5.8.
Toois a Fulfulde discourse marker (originally borrowed from Hausa) used for marking sections in narrative or explanation, and also expresses acceptance, like EnglishWell! Good! Its section-marking function seems to be prevalent in turn (2): as Tobi says it, she has done the basic ‘crocheting’ action of plattermaking:
making a hole with the awl and putting the sewing fibre through, and is now tightening the sewing fibre. The first cycle of actions is closing as she saysToo.
She goes on to ask if Loumbi has seen that, employing the Fulfulde question particle na both at the beginning and end of her question: To`o, n´a w´u ser´a n´a? An English translation is You-sg did see that, right?4 Loumbi gives no verbal response, but she continues to look intently. Silence is a quite appropriate answer in this case. One is reminded of Bakhtin’s notion of an active responsive attitude which does not necessarily translate into a verbal rejoinder to an utterance, see 2.2.1 on page 25, (Bakhtin 1986, 68).
4The French translation is closer:N’est-ce pas, tu as vu, non?
Tobi bridges over from the first cycle ended with the ‘Did you see’ question by stating, in turn (3) below, that this is how crocheting is done, in a final tone as she tightens the fibre. Then she bends down to get anotherbàlífibre, she intends to show them another aspect of plattermaking.
Transcript 5.2 The platter, cycle 2 Original:
(3)Tobi:19.5To`o l`e`e d´ı, m´o´owu t´ıNwc´ı l`e`e.21.7
(21.9 Tobi bends to put down awl and take a new fibre, looks back at the platter from the ground, then follows the fibre as she brings it in position on platter. 22.1 Loumbi lifts l.h. and touch platter, withdraws as Tobi does not respond to her bid, 23.8) (4)Tobi:22.9D´ıgh´e´e t@@kir´ı l`e`e d´ıgh´
ee-24.8
( 26.8 Tobi has fibre in place towards the hole. Loumbi stays crouched, trying to see from Tobi’s perspective) (5)Tobi: 24.8 Wu ka y´ıric´ı l´aw`, wa`a
l`e`e áed`ın-n´a(Fulf).27.6
( 26.8 Tobi works the fibre into its slot with r.h., l.h. holding the other fibres in place)
(6)Tobi:29.5QiiáaaNar´ı l`e`e d´ı gh´ ee-(30.9 Tobi bends again to the ground to take up awl and brings it to platter, 35.2)
English translation:
(3)Tobi: 19.5 Well, like this, then, one crochets so.21.7
(21.9 Tobi bends to put down awl and take a new fibre, looks back at the platter from the ground, then follows the fibre as she brings it in position on platter. 22.1 Loumbi lifts l.h. and touch platter, withdraws as Tobi does not respond to her bid, 23.8)
(4)Tobi: 22.9If then shortened like this-24.8
(26.8 Tobi has fibre in place towards the hole. Loumbi stays crouched, trying to see from Tobi’s perspective) (5)Tobi:24.8You-sg take this one, you-sg
add (Fulf) to, so.27.6
(26.8 Tobi works the fibre into its slot with r.h., l.h. holding the other fibres in place)
(6)Tobi:29.5If put in and lenghtened so-( 30.9 Tobi bends again to the ground to take up awl and brings it to platter, 35.2)
5.2. LEARNING SKILLS IN MIPOM
Figure 5.7: A direct glance from Tobi draws Loumbi into the demonstration, turn (2).
Figure 5.8: She stays crouched over to watch how Tobi works till the end, here at turn (8).
Original:
(7)Tobi: 34.0-a` t´ıNw c`aNw d´ı.Mbut`u`u d´ıb j00Nkir´ı tˇe`. Hm.38.3
(35.2 Tobi start forcing awl through rim, finally sticks it in and wiggles it to widen hole. 40.6 She leaves the awl in the hole, picks up the sewing fibre with thumb and index finger, straightens it and bend it backwards to stick it into the hole, 48.1) (8)Tobi:43.8N´a w´u ser´a¯´?46.7
English translation:
(7)Tobi: 34.0-then crochet again. The platter has come back again now, hm.
38.3
(35.2 Tobi start forcing awl through rim, finally sticks it in and wiggles it to widen hole. 40.6 She leaves the awl in the hole, picks up the sewing fibre with thumb and index finger, straightens it and bend it backwards to stick it into the hole, 48.1) (8)Tobi: 43.8You-sg did see that, right?
46.7
Cycle 2, Turns (3–8): Tobi’s next teaching effort is on another aspect of crocheting: one must constantly put in new coil fibres as the earlier ones grow short. She starts this now by bending down to take up a new fibre from her heap on the ground, looking down as she does so. That licenses a little more activity from Loumbi: as Tobi bends down to take up new fibres, Loumbi touches the platter with her left hand, removing it again as Tobi looks back. It is maybe a bid for taking the platter and try out the crocheting for herself, but Tobi does not respond to it.
In turns (4–7) Loumbi points out each little subphase of the cycle. Without Tobi’s actions, the sentences would be difficult to interpret: ‘If then it grows small so; you-sg take this, you-sg add it so; if so, crochet again.’ Understanding the sentences relies upon correct identification of the referents handled by Tobi, by paying attention to her work and to her gaze direction.
By turn (7), Tobi again forces the awl through the rim to make another sewing hole, wiggling it to widen the hole, using at least 5 seconds for this action. As she is occupied with this, she comments that the platter is regaining its shape, smiling a little. The comment falls somewhat outside the needed explanations of what she is doing, both thematically and formally. It is more like filling out the time slot opened by the necessary use of the awl.
In this cycle of acts again, it is the task that organises the talk, rather than vice-versa. The talk is important in another way, by lifting each little act to be noticed out of the general blur of actions. When the act takes longer time than the necessary talk about it, less strictly task-related comments can be added in this open slot.
Having finished the hole, picked up the fibre and started to get it into the new
5.2. LEARNING SKILLS IN MIPOM
hole, she ends this section as well in turn (8) by saying the same phrase of You-sg did see that, right? with double question particle, withouttoothis time. The last question particle is also reduced in form to a High tone hung onto the normal High-Medium contour of the last syllable:N´a w´u ser´a¯´ ?
Tobi uses the Fulfulde question particlenarather then the Nizaa equivalent, rá¯. This is a very common phenomenon in casually spoken Nizaa. She also uses Fulfulde verbáesdin-‘add’, but changed to the more Nizaa formáedin-.
Transcript 5.3 The platter, cycle 3 Original:
(8)
(45.4 Tobi tugs at the awl while holding fibre with 2 fingers, she leaves awl still in hole and grips fibre again, while speaking 48.5)
(9)Tobi:46.4Àâ´ıwu mE`Er´e¯, [0.3]gan´
l`O`O.[0.6]
(48.4 Tobi jerks the awl free, holds it with 2 fingers while taking fibre with index and thumb, start aiming it into the hole, 49.1)
(10)Man: 49.1 D`A`AN Ng´ur-r´e¯, (50.5 Loumbi giggles) 51.0 mbut`u´u f`a`aN rEENk´ır´e¯.
52.0 (Man laughs a little, with Loumbi. Tobi smiles as she finally gets the tip into hole 54.0)
(11)Tobi: 54.0 To`o. [0.5] N´a â´ıwu ser´a¯´?[0.8]
English translation:
(8)
(45.4 Tobi tugs at the awl while hold-ing fibre with 2 fhold-ingers, she leaves awl still in hole and grips fibre again, while speaking 48.5)
(9)Tobi: 46.4 So that you-pl learn,[0.3]
(one) says so.[0.6]
(48.4 Tobi jerks the awl free, holds it with 2 fingers while taking fibre with index and thumb, start aiming it into the hole 49.1)
(10)Man: 49.1 The world should grow old,(50.5 Loumbi giggles)51.0so that the platter doesn’t get lost.
52.0 (Man laughs a little, with Loumbi. Tobi smiles as she finally gets the tip into hole 54.0)
(11)Tobi: 54.0Well. [0.5]You-pl did see that, right?[0.8]
Cycle 3 Turns (9–11) After these task-related lines Tobi drops another comment in turn (9), commenting rather on the teaching situation itself. The tight-knit Nizaa phrase:Àâ´ıwu mE`Er´e¯, gan´ l`O`O. (So that you-pl learn, (one) says so), seems to be some sort of byword, delivered as a punch line. A possible interpretation is that a teacher should ask if the learner has seen, thus making her observe
well. It is a good example of a traditional item used in a conversational genre context, to affect the audience (see 2.5.3). It immediately brings a comment from a man standig by watching, and it makes Loumbi giggle. The meaning of the bystander’s comment is something likeEverybody should get old (like Tobi), so that the crocheted platter is not lost.5
Tobi continues working, jerking loose the awl as she finishes turn (9), and putting the sewing fibre tip into the new hole, this takes some time again. When she has succeeded, she saysTo`o. N´a â´ıwu ser´a¯´? ‘Well. You-pl did see that, right?’ again as in turn (2) and turn (8), only this time she uses the 2nd prs. Pl.
form, thus including Doudou, and maybe the man just speaking as well.
Transcript 5.4 The platter, cycle 4 Original:
(12)55.0 SwiiNr´ı l`e`e d´ı gh´e´e, n´a â´ıwu áug j00Nkir´ı sh`ı´ıN` l`e`e.59.5
(55.0 Tobi removes r.h. briefly and brings it back. Brings hand back with awl held by ring- and little finger, 58.1 then beats hand outward to show how she grips awl while speaking about it)
(13)Loumbi:59.4(almost inaudible)Mm.
(14)Tobi: 59.5Qiwa` l`e`e âam dib jiNk`ı d´ı.
(58.1 Grips fibre and starts tighten-ing, pulls the fibre tight in two tugs while speaking, 01.02.5)
English translation:
(12)Tobi:55.0If then (you) see so, you-pl grip again the awl so.59.5
(55.0 Tobi removes r.h. briefly and brings it back. Brings hand back with awl held by ring- and little finger, then beats hand outward to show how she grips awl while speaking about it, 58.1 )
(13)Loumbi:59.4(almost inaudible)Mm.
(14)Tobi: 59.5 Coming out so (you) can pull it out again, then.
(58.1 Grips fibre and starts tighten-ing, pulls the fibre tight in two tugs while speaking, 01.02.5)
Cycle 4, turn 12-14 There is a brief cycle here, as Tobi demonstrates her way of holding the awl. She takes away her right hand first, then brings her hand back to the platter only to make a little beat outwards again, showing how she holds the awl. It is turned and held by the three last fingers of her hand only, leaving her index and thumb free for gripping the sewing fibre. She simultaneously comments on her handhold in the second part of turn (12)SwiiNr´ı l`e`e d´ı gh´e´e, n´a â´ıwu áug j00Nkir´ı sh`ı´ıN` l`e`e,If then (you) see so, you-pl grip again the awl so. This brings
5Patouma was not certain of how to understand the first clause, her French version was: Le monde doit vieillir, à fin que le plat tissé ne se perde pas.
5.2. LEARNING SKILLS IN MIPOM
out an almost inaudible sound of acquiescence from Loumbi. In turn (14) Tobi then pulls the fibre tight while commenting that one pulls it through again.
Transcript 5.5 The platter, ending Original:
(15)Tobi:01.02.2T´o`o,(Tobi sits back)ná á lèè dí ná?01.03.9
(01.02.5 Tobi takes r.h. away, gives platter a brief lift, presents it) (16)Tobi:01.01.4Ár´ı l`e`e d´ı.01.01.6
(01.06.2 Loumbi takes platter and looks, it slips from her fingers to the ground, she picks it up again, 01.11.9)
(17)Doudou: 01.07.6 Y´eNw l´aw` h´a´aN g`ur jer mi law` waw`ın´ n`ıw`a f´a.
(18)Loumbi: 01.10.1 (high pitch) W´o´ı!
(normal pitch)Law` ´a m´ı tut`oNw f´a.
(01.11.9 Loumbi hands platter back to Tobi)
(19)Tobi: 01.12.5 (laughs, with girls) 01.14.8 S`ı´ıN` b´o ´a l`e`e. S`ı´ıN` b´o l´aw`.
(01.12.5 Tobi takes platter and shows where to insert the awl to make the next hole. Loumbi straightens up from her crouched position)
(20)Tobi: 01.17.8Ùh´um. 01.18.6 Every-body remain in their positions for a lit-tle while. bk saysT´o`o. Tobi repeats Ùh´um`.Somebody calls to the girls for their original errand, Doudou answers and they leave.
English translation:
(15)Tobi: 01.02.2 Well, (Tobi sits back) it’s so already, no?01.03.9
(01.02.5 Tobi takes r.h. away, gives platter a brief lift, presents it) (16)Tobi:01.01.4It is so already.01.01.6
(01.06.2 Loumbi takes platter and looks, it slips from her fingers to the ground, she picks it up again, 01.11.9)
(17)Doudou: 01.07.6That thing, even in ten years I will not get to know it.
(18)Loumbi: 01.10.1 (high pitch) Wóí!
(normal pitch)That’s not my work!
(01.11.9 Loumbi hands platter back to Tobi)
(19)Tobi: 01.12.5 (laughs, with girls) 01.14.8The awl is like that. And the awl -here.
(01.12.5 Tobi takes platter and shows where to insert the awl to make the next hole. Loumbi straightens up from her crouched position)
(20)Tobi: 01.17.8Ùh´um.(01.18.6 Every-body remain in their positions for a lit-tle while. bk says Well. Tobi repeats Ùh´um`.Somebody calls to the girls for their original errand, Doudou answers and they leave.)
Ending, Turns (15-20) The session ends. Again Tobi usesTóò‘Well’ to mark an endpoint, at the same time sitting back a little and thus signaling the ending also with her body configuration. She makes again a doubly marked question in turn (15): T´o`o, n´a ´a l`e`e d´ı n´a?, more or lessWell, it’s so already, no? and presents the platter to Loumbi, answering her own rather rhetorical question by stating in turn (16) thatIt is so already. Loumbi takes the platter and looks, it slips from her fingers, but she quickly picks it up again. Doudou makes the first verbal reaction to the demonstration, saying that she will never learn that even in ten years. Loumbi follows suit with her little exclamation of dismay, stating that this is not her kind of work.
The girls’ reaction at the end of the demonstration is curiously negative.
Though the two girls seem genuinely interested, their interest is maybe dampened as they realise just how much work making a presentable platter will be. One effect of these reactions is of course that Tobi’s expert skills are emphasized, as the girls acknowledge that the work that she knows how to do is really difficult. The deeper meaning of the bystander’s comment in turn (9) is perhaps that old people are needed to do plattermaking, as they are patient enough and wise enough to do it, not like young girls flitting from one thing to the next. In any case, Tobi is not visibly perturbed by their reaction, she laughs and comments that the awl (work) is like that, and then places the awl neatly on the platter with the point towards the rim, holding it for me to film. A few seconds later somebody calls and the girls are off again on their original errand.