ENG 2322: Interview Transcript Analysis on Discourse Community

This report presents an interview transcript focused on exploring discourse communities and culture, particularly within the context of oral history. The interviews delve into the historical backgrounds, traditions, and cultural identities of three distinct communities: Pennsylvania Dutch, Midwestern, and African-American. The interviewer explores various aspects of their lives, including family history, geographical locations, cultural practices, and historical moments. The transcript highlights the importance of preserving cultural heritage and understanding the unique experiences of each community. The report also addresses ethical considerations related to conducting interviews and preserving sensitive information. The analysis emphasizes the role of discourse communities in shaping individual identities and fostering a sense of belonging. Desklib provides access to similar past papers and solved assignments for students.

Interview Transcript
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
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Interview Transcript
Table of Contents
Interviewing.....................................................................................................................................2
Preservation.....................................................................................................................................2
Access and use.................................................................................................................................3
Project Background.........................................................................................................................3
Contact Information.........................................................................................................................3
The process for participation...........................................................................................................3
Benefits of participation..................................................................................................................4
Potential risks for participation........................................................................................................4
Transcripts.......................................................................................................................................5
Transcript 1..................................................................................................................................5
Transcript 2..................................................................................................................................9
Transcript 3................................................................................................................................13
Recording process..........................................................................................................................16
After the oral history interview......................................................................................................16
References......................................................................................................................................18
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Interview Transcript
Interviewing
According to research and survey, interview sessions need to be conducted in a peaceful
ambiance without noise and chaos for making a good conversation between an interviewee and
an interviewer (Bertram,Wagner & Trautwein, 2017). In this session, it has been organized in a
quiet location with the discourse community professionals.
In the session of the interview, an interviewer needs to take systematic information with
name, history, and background of family for preparing for recording the entire session and
establishing a meaningful conversation (Read, 2018). In this session, it has been noted down by
the interviewer about the family background as well as the location of the photographer in the
beginning.
There need to be an agreement and approval between the two parties before starting an
interview at full length. The below interview session has been conducted in agreement and
mutual understanding of the two parties with all the three community people.
According to the conversation session, the interview has proactively asked questions, and
tried to reveal similar kind of empathy in the expressions and expressed feelings towards their
historic background as well as their historic moments as well (Read, 2018). The interviewer has
also made an inquiry to the people of different communities equally for finding more information
relevant to their past history as well.
As per ethical norms and code of conduct, an interviewer has to secure and protect data
collected from an interviewee under a safer and secured place of documented file that cannot be
misused by any other unethical member (Parsons & Warren, 2019). After the session was over,
the interviewer has provided this interview report to the higher authority of the publication house
for recordings to the concerned person, as per legal form.
Preservation
Securing information of any kind is an important part of keeping files recorded into a
suitable place in the form of electronic files (Petersen & Wick, 2018). The transcript has been
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Interview Transcript
safely transformed and secured in a digital copy format. In addition, it has been ready to be
sponsored by any suitable institution.
Access and use
For the purpose of access and usage of this repository record, it needs to be taken legal
permission as well as project documentation in a suitable format (Riechert et al., 2020). The
recorded session has been provided access and usage in the archival format within the project
participants. This can be used by the participants, as an example and historic document for
further scholarly disciplines as well in the study of sociology.
Project Background
The background of the project is based on the historical records of Oral Historian stating
about their historic legends of their individual communities. According to the oral historian
concept, an interview session should have a mutual agreement before participating in a project
(Fennelly & Newman, 2017). In this entire session of interview, it has been recognized that the
interviewer has taken the systematic pattern of recording events, the applicable information that
is necessary to acknowledge their social backdrop of discourse communities that has been traced
earlier by any social researcher. At the same time, the recorded events have also been compared
in between three community cultures, occupation and customs and religions as well that can be
known well after this session of repository.
Contact Information
After the session is over, the necessary contact information has been recorded within a
digital file with safety and security, as an oral history material for publication in the future.
The process for participation
Based on the oral historian concept, it has been stated that there has to be an active
participation of both interviewer and interviewee before finishing a conversation in a better way.
In the below session of conversation, it has been conducted in a similar way between the
interviewer and three community people. It has been equally shared and discussed their position
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Interview Transcript
and social environment used to be in the past as well in present. Further, they have also shared
about their future prospects in this social culture and background if they stay here for a lifetime
as well. Other than these, the interviewees have also shared about their struggle of their ancestral
having engaged by heart with the historic legends as well. This kind of recorded detail and
information has provided evidence of an active process of participation.
Benefits of participation
Using this active participation between an oral historian and an interviewer, it can
provide good access to the large group of community of similar kind from the end of a particular
region for acknowledgment as well as public focus (Bidzinski et al., 2017). In relation to the
overview of the entire session of conversation, it has been recorded that for the purpose of
highlighting the historic details to conduct a future workshop in the desired locations for their
better progress and getting good access for upgrading their economic condition if required.
Depending on the interview session of Dutch, Midwestern and African-American, it can be
further utilized for better growth and public focus on their lives as well as their culture for
making their profession more easier.
Potential risks for participation
Despite the overall process of interview and recording of detail information, it can be
addressed into another important area that is related to potential risks of participation. It becomes
unethical if an interview session is taken without interest or willingness of the participants. In
this session, it might have been an issue for getting reviews from the communities willingly
because of their different sentiments, religion, customs, and pathetic history. However,
understanding these areas of concern, the project team has settled and conducted a suitable
system of session that has not affected the emotions of the community people.
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Interview Transcript
Transcripts
Transcript 1
Pennsylvania Dutch Community
Hello! (Smile)
Hello! Good Morning! (Smile)
Interviewer: Please tell your name, date of birth, and relationship status.
Interviewee: My name is Daniel Jans; my date of birth is on 08.06.1980. I am married for the
last eleven years. And I have two kids, one of 5 years and the other 2 years.
Interviewer: Oh! Great!!! Which discourse community do you belong to? Say something about
your geographical locations (smiling!)
Interviewee: Actually I am from the Pennsylvanian Dutch Community and my geographical
location belongs to the South Central part of Lancaster (happy expression). Basically, I was from
the countryside area of that location.
Interviewer: Who were your parents?
Interviewee: Ah! My parents belong to the Dutch citizens during the time of The Emperor, De
Keyser, when it used to be naming customs like the physical attributes of people living in that
area. My father’s name was William Jans and my mother’s name was Abigail Jans. As my father
was involved in dealing with the transportation of Dutch goods on cargo; my mother used to do
good tailoring in those days. Both of my parents struggled a lot during those days for my born
and brought up. Later, after the death of my father at the age of 14 years, my mother faced lots of
challenges for my schooling and education.
Interviewer: Ahh! That’s quite amazing as well as encouraging knowing that, what do you do
by profession?
Interviewee: I am a photographer by profession… I love to take snapshots of the countryside of
my own village. Actually, during my school days, I used to visit some of the villages with my
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Interview Transcript
father on weekends for where my father used to take photographs. So naturally, I have got this
passion from my instincts (smiling!). Ohm! Please can you excuse me….. I am getting quite
emotional now. May I have a break, please?
Interviewer: Yeah Sure …. Let’s have a short break (After a short break of 10 min)
Alright then let’s proceed?
Interviewee: Yahh yahh… please carry on sir.
Interviewer: What was it like when you grew up here?
Interviewee: Yes sure… As you have an idea of our great customs and cultural background of
the Dutch Emperor in the 19-century era, I especially was involved in playing minstrels and tune
in the valleys of Lancaster during those days. Although both of my parents struggled a lot during
those days, but I still loved to live in the memory of pleasures and dreams during that period. I
am feeling quite nostalgic (Smiling!)
Interviewer: Wow! Lovely sound… Can you tell me one of the happiest moments of your life?
Does this moment have any relation to your community?
Interviewee: Yes certainly……during my school days, when I was in the sixth standard, for the
first time, I got an award for collecting stamps of different countries. That was a good time, it
always inspires me a lot in the field of study, and research related works are concerned. I would
love to cherish those days ….. Ha ha.. Amazing (Happy gesture)
Interviewer: Wow! It sounds amazing hearing from you…. Did you enjoy school life?
Interviewee: Yes, obviously, my school days were pretty encouraging and cool, as it gave me a
lot of affection and love from the end of the teachers. I used to get additional support like taking
the books from the libraries as well as permitted from the teachers.
Interviewer: Oh... That’s really great to hear …. What have been the most useful lessons of your
life?
Interviewee: I think life has taught me great lessons to be patient, never stopping even if I find
my destination as well. Some of them are my father’s ideologies as well.
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Interview Transcript
Interviewer: ohm… wows! That’s fine…. Can you tell me some great stories on the legends of
your hometown? As I am a British, I do have very little knowledge of this.
Interviewee: Yes certainly…. as you have an idea that our community had great legends in folk
music and in other professions like in art and painting. I would like to mention my own favorite,
the famous Anton Corbijn; really, he is truly an ideal for me. Anton is from the background of
the Netherlands as well as from the period of black and white portraits of artists, so I would like
to mention his name always. I would love to meet him face-to-face. (Smiling!)
Interviewer: O! That’s really great to hear it…. If you could do anything now, what would you
choose?
Interviewee: Ahh… I would like to open up my own photography studio in the future in my
hometown.
Interviewer: lovely! Lovely! Do you follow any specific family tradition that you want to
mention?
Interviewee: Yes surely…. we have a tradition of following the customs of skill improvement
and give special focus on our art and culture both. My mother used to do tailoring once that she
gave me in my instincts as well. I loved to adopt that skill within me (grinning!)
Interviewer: Wow! Really amazing …. What were the historical moments of your hometown?
Interviewee: I would like to mention two of the historical moments that I always cherish in my
memory. One was the moment when Ron Palm's Museum was opened with the Civil war Images
established in 2000, and that was a true and amazing historic military memorabilia. And another
one is the Rupp House & Museum where it exhibited the activities and the stocks exclusive of
friends of Gettysburg merchandise.
Ah!!! Lovely it was feeling really proud to be Dutch. (Smiling!)
Interviewer: Oh wow! That's really amazing to hear it really awesome to know that. Thank you
… Mr. Daniel for giving me your valuable time.
Interviewee: Oh… you are most welcome sir…. I enjoyed this conversation well. ….
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Interview Transcript
Analysis
From this conversation, it has been acknowledged that Pennsylvanian Dutch's has a strong like
for art and culture at the same time, they are also calculative in mind as well. In addition, Dutch
have good technical skills as well as apprenticeship skills as well for what they do with
perfection. Photography is their great passion and so is our guest Daniel Jan’s from the royal
background.
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Interview Transcript
Transcript 2
Midwestern Community
Interviewer: Please tell your name, date of birth, and relationship status.
Interviewee: My name is Alexander… I was born on 12.12.1980.. married… I have two kids in
the pre-Schools…
Interviewer: Which discourse community do you belong to? Say something about your
geographical locations.
Interviewee: Umm… I belong to the Mid-Western community... You can say my geographical
location is based on the states of Illinois… I belong to a small city there... This is the Middle
West or you can say north-central states of the US. The states of Illinois lie between the
Appalachian and Rocky sides of mountains at the north of the Ohio River. The interesting part of
my city is that it is rich in diversity from the perspective of the population… Different people
from different regions have migrated here to live…
Interviewer: Who were your parents?
Interviewee: My father’s name is Late Jacob, and mom is Noah… My father died in the year
1990 when I was just 10 years old. He had lung infection… He used to work in the factory of
glasswares.. My mom took the responsibility of our family since then as I do not have any
siblings… My mom is a cook...
Interviewer: What do you do by profession?
Interviewee: I am a painter by profession… I have a passion for painting since my childhood
days… I became quite famous when I was in college… errr… I got some medals at the state
level while in college… I can give this credit to our education system for this… We had very
good instructors in our schools or colleges for the activities other than studies… I got such a
good instructor in my college life… he inspired me a lot.. umm.. Now I think I am obliged to
have him as my mentor… Ohh.. sorry... I am getting emotional… Can we take a break now?
Interviewer: Yeaahh.. sure… let’s take some break…
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Interviewee: (after 10 minutes) Ok… let’s start again… I am getting interests in sharing my
stories with someone after a long time… haha…!!
Interviewer: Oh Yeah... I am also getting interested in listening to your story… Please tell me…
What was it like when you grew up here?
Interviewee: You know that we have a culture of growing advancements in fine arts, music, hip
hop, etc… and now you know that I am a person of fine arts… haha… so, it was great to grow
up here, in this community... I loved to play music, especially guitar... I had an old one too... It
belonged to my father... He was a passionate musician… My childhood days were good when
my father was alive. After his death, the hardship began… life became tough for me and my
mom…
Interviewer: Can you tell me one of the happiest moments of your life? Does this moment have
any relation to your community?
Interviewee: Yes certainly… When I was in the fourth standard, I got the first medal in my life
for painting... Probably that was the time when I realized that I want to become a painter...
Moreover, I got much inspiration from my dad who told me to become a painter... I miss that
moment.. and I cherish that moment also.. I like to mention the other memorable moments of my
life too… obviously, if you want to listen.. haha…
Interviewer: Certainly… I would love to… (grinning)
Interviewee: The moment when I first saw the faces of my twins… (grin) It was a lovely
moment.. and precious too…
Interviewer: Oh definitely… big congratulations to you… really that is the most precious
moment ever… (smile)
Interviewer: Did you enjoy school life?
Interviewee: I used to enjoy my school life… I told you before that in our community the
education system is pretty good... Teachers behave affectionately to the students… They help us
to cover the syllabus… I also got moral supports from my teachers while my dad passed away...
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Interview Transcript
Interviewer: oh.. that’s good… so..what have been the most useful lessons of your life?
Interviewee: I believe that life must do good to you… if life snatches something from you it
would return you in double... thus, patience is the key...
Interviewer: Oh.. that’s the most important lesson anyone can have in life.. ok, now can you tell
me some great stories on the legends of your hometown? As I am a British, I do have very little
knowledge of this...
Interviewee: Yeah certainly… our communities had many legends famous for folk songs and
modern songs.. there are so many famous actors like John Belushi, Tom Bosley, Gary Coleman,
and many others... I was fond of a hip hop artist who became legendary and her name is Kanye...
Interviewer: Oh.. that’s interesting.. ok so if you could do anything now, what would you
choose?
Interviewee: I would like to open a cake shop... I told you previously that my mom is brilliant at
cooking... Moreover, she is specialized in baking.. her homemade fruit cake is famous in our
communities.. besides this, in our country people love to be there in the cake shops.. they spend
their weekends in the cake shops...
Interviewer: Oh that's great... Do you follow any specific family tradition that you want to
mention?
Interviewee: In our community, we follow the tradition of advancement in our working skills…
same goes for my family also... me and my wife both try to expand our skills.. my wife is a home
maker.. she has interests in gardening.. we give the same lesson to our children to do better every
day...
Interviewer: Oh ! excellent... now tell me... this is the last question... haha.. you can relax
them... What were the historical moments of your hometown?
Interviewee: I want to mention just memorable two.. the great fire and the opening of Chicago
Public Library…
Interviewer: Oh.. thank you so much, Alexander, for giving me the valuable time…
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