Guide to the Pittsburgh Speech and Society Project Collection, 2003-2005 AIS.2009.02
Arrangement
Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Pittsburgh Speech and Society Project Collection
Creator
Kiesling, Scott F.
Creator
Johnstone, Barbara
Collection Number
AIS.2009.02
Extent
1 Linear Feet(51 compact discs, 48 folders)
Date
2003-2005
Abstract
The Pittsburgh Speech and Society Project was conducted between 2003 and 2005 by Barbara Johnstone, Professor of Linguistics and Rhetoric at Carnegie Mellon University, and Scott F. Kiesling, Associate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Pittsburgh. The project involved recording interviews with Pittsburgh-born residents with the goal of studying the sociolinguistics of Pittsburgh speech, known informally as 'Pittsburghese.' The collection consists of 48 interviews on 51 compact disks as well as information about the interviewees, consent forms, and some transcripts. Digital reproductions of the collection are available online.
Language
English
.
Author
Renee Ziemann.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System Archives & Special Collections Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman) Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Barbara Johnstone, Professor of Linguistics and Rhetoric at Carnegie Mellon University, and Scott F. Kiesling, Associate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Pittsburgh, directed the Pittsburgh Speech and Society Project as a way to study the sociolinguistics of Pittsburgh speech, informally known as 'Pittsburghese.' The project involved casually interviewing people from four Pittsburgh-area neighborhoods with the goal of capturing unselfconscious speech. The interviews were designed to inquire about people's lives and attitudes about Pittsburgh, while investigating the local dialect. The project spanned 2003 through 2005, totaling 48 interviews. The project was made possible through funding by a U.S. National Science Foundation Collaborative Research award nos. BCS0417684 and BCS-0417657.
Scope and Content Notes
The Pittsburgh Speech and Society Project Collection consists of 51 CDs containing 48 interviews as well as information about the interviewees and the project itself. Interviews were conducted by one of three people, with the majority being conducted by project director, Barbara Johnstone. Subjects involved interviews with lone subjects, married couples, and one mother-son couple. The interviews were designed to study the aspects of Pittsburgh language and dialects, however, as many of the questions relate to families, neighborhood histories, local news and individual events, life experiences in Pittsburgh are also captured.
Arrangement
The collection has been arranged in two series. Series I consists of CDs containing audio WAV files of interviews and documents stored as PDF files. Series II contains printed versions of the PDF files from each CD. These documents include information about the Speech and Society Project as well as information on the subjects of the interviews and consent forms. Some interview transcripts are also included. Both series are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the interviewee.
Series I. CDs
Series II. Documents
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Barbara Johnstone in February 2009.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Compact discs require a computer to access audio content and PDF files of manuscript materials.
Previous Citation
Pittsburgh Speech and Society Project Coalition, 2003-2005, AIS.2009.02, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
Preferred Citation
Pittsburgh Speech and Society Project Coalition, 2003-2005, AIS.2009.02, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
