Verbal Art as Performance – Richard Bauman – 1986
Verbal Art as Performance
Richard Bauman’s Verbal Art as Performance delves into the dynamic relationship between language, social context, and artistic expression. The core of Bauman’s work rests on the idea that verbal art – including folklore, storytelling, and everyday communication – isn’t merely a transmission of static content, but rather a dynamic event shaped by the interaction between performer and audience. He moves away from the traditional structuralist focus on the text itself, and concentrates instead on the performance situation and the ways in which meaning is created and negotiated in real-time.
What the Book Explores
Bauman investigates the concept of ‘performance’ as it applies to a wide array of verbal traditions. He emphasizes the importance of factors such as setting, audience reception, and the performer’s skill in crafting a communicative event. He explores the roles of both the performer and the audience as active participants in the meaning-making process. This work examines how communicative competence extends beyond grammatical correctness to include the ability to adapt language use to specific social situations and to effectively engage an audience. It also investigates the aesthetic dimensions of verbal performance, focusing on elements like style, rhythm, and the use of nonverbal cues.
Historical / Cultural Context
Published in 1986, this work emerged within a broader shift in folklore studies towards a more contextual and performative understanding of traditional expressive forms. It responded to earlier structuralist approaches that emphasized the analysis of narratives and motifs in isolation. The book’s emphasis on performance reflects the influence of linguistic anthropology and communication studies, which were increasingly recognizing the importance of situated language use. Bauman’s work can also be situated within a growing interest in ethnography as a means of understanding cultural practices from the perspective of those who enact them.
Who This Book Is For
This book is primarily geared towards students and scholars in folklore, anthropology, linguistics, communication studies, and performance studies. However, it is also accessible to anyone interested in the power of language, the dynamics of social interaction, and the art of storytelling. The concepts explored are relevant to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of how meaning is created and communicated in everyday life.
Further Reading
- Dell Hymes, Foundations in Sociolinguistics: An Ethnographic Approach (1974) – Explores the concept of communicative competence.
- Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1959) – Provides insights into the performative aspects of social interaction.
- Victor Turner, The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure (1969) – Offers a broader theoretical framework for understanding performance and ritual.
Disclaimer.
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Content is provided for informational and reflective purposes only and does not promote specific beliefs, spiritual practices, or ideological positions. Interpretations presented reflect scholarly, cultural, or symbolic analysis rather than factual claims about the natural world.