A Critique of Keith Basso's ‘Speaking with Names': Language and Landscape among the Western Apache

Abstract

This paper critically examines Basso's paper on ‘Speaking with Names': Language and Landscape among the Western Apache. Methodologically, it comments on the Basso's basic ideas in the paper and underscores areas of weakness. Most interestingly, Basso explores the significant influence of people's linguistic geography on their discourses. He reveals how what is said isinfluenced by what is perceived about the environment. His paper gives a unique revelation on the nexus holding between language and landscape; another dimension of understanding discourse. However,He prioritizes place names as the basic and only way of understanding talk or interaction with a neglect of non-verbal aspect such as gestures and signs in the discussion of language and landscapes.