Oral History Language and Dialogue

Question: Discuss about the Oral History for Language and Dialogue. Answer: Experiences and ideas are shared through interaction with different people who have lived and come across varying circumstances in the environment. The ability to give an account of experiences depends on the memories that people have of past and present occurrences in their lives. An excellent account of a situation is reflected when people trigger their minds and memories about their past, which result in opening up and giving details of events. Sharing of information entails presentation of either imaginary or real stories that could be based on an individuals tastes or feelings about issues. The oral history theory provides tools that can help one perform better in interview sessions and when gathering or sharing information. The interview was done on 28th March 2017 at Sports Motors dealer shop between Mohammed Alshahrani-the interviewer and Mustafa-the interviewee who was engaged to give details of his endeavor to migrate from his home country Iraq to London and then eventually to Canada. The interview session is structured to find out the feelings of the narrator about his past experiences as an immigrant, the challenges he faced and achievements made from the bold steps he took. Questions about the past life of the narrator are aimed at stimulating memories for him to reveal what was neither documented nor known before. Questions elicited different memories to Mustafa who points out that the decision to leave his home country was not easy because he was used to the way of life in Iraq so relocating to other places meant he had to adapt to changes and the new environment. First, he was disturbed by the issue of stereotype in the foreign countries he settled, the general assumptions that residents of the host country made about him by race and color. The perception that people have of Iraq leans on the notion that its citizens are radicals without bearing in mind that people have a different character. Secondly, the insensitivity of individuals to treat others by origin rather than individual character is a negative aspect in a society which causes discrimination, because of the failure to recognize that people are unique. As an immigrant, Mustafa highlights that he was discriminated and treated inhumanely because of his race. Transition to adopt new cultures of different countries was a challenge, ha ving been used to the norms in Iraq. Culture shock is often experienced when people move to regions with different lifestyles (Levine, (2007). Getting used to new weather and environment always took time. Despite the negative issues that he experienced as an immigrant in London and Canada, Mustafa outlines that some benefits accompanied his immigration. In the process of adapting to the new environment, he was able to embrace diversity to suit in the standard style of the regions he lived. Learning of different culture enabled him to accept and respect the cultures of others. The conflicts he encountered was a milestone to learn on how to handle different situations especially treating foreigners who have to learn new ways of life and feel accepted as unique individuals by their character and motives. Oral history is built on four elements as Abrams (2010), explains; the interview, the recording of that interview, the interview transcription and the interpretation of the interview data. They all determine the effectiveness of information gathered from oral history. The interview with Mustafa is anchored on the premise of the context and memory of his past, Norrick (193-215). He highlights during the interview that immigration has challenges basing his argument on his personal experience. The period of discrimination as a result of stereotyping and negative perception of his race was a weak moment. His story is out of my experience and what he explains is an issue that many other people go through, but it is never hard because they are not asked to open up in their personal life. From Mustafas narration, an understanding of the past behavior that people had towards immigrants is established and related to the situation in society today. Although stereotyping and discrimination by r ace and religion still exist in society today, more people understand the pain and depression that immigrants are subjected to by such unfortunate behavior, Pinto (189-207). The biographical approach that the interview takes helps to get details of the individual account of experiences and feelings that Mustafa holds of the past. The narrator presents his story with attached emotions from the past which is provoked by dialogue with the interviewee, Nielsen Iva (54-71). Abrams, (2010), highlights that the effectiveness of an interview is determined by the social relationship of those involved in the dialogue. Questions that touch on the personal life of an individual stimulate different responses, Layman (207-230). The new environment in foreign countries caused cultural shock because there were changes in a lifestyle different from what Mustafa was used to in Iraq. The narrative reflects on the cultural impact that immigration had in his life, adapting to new ways of life to fit in those societies. The feeling attached to London and Canada is different because of the various experiences he had and the variations of time spent in each of these areas. In Canada, where Mustafa has a Sports Motor shop, the experience and change to his life are evidently better than In London, and he feels his endeavors in foreign countries has bore fruit. Experiences vary with time and depend on changes in society, so reflecting on the past should focus on a specific issue that addresses a particular lifetime of an individual for relevant information to be gathered, Tamm (458-473). Describing Mustafa in a portrait has to bring out the element of his achievements in Canada, so a picture of his Sports Motor shop should be put behind the portrait to show that he has managed to use his opportunities outside his home country despite the many challenges. Another essential element to include in the picture is the passport that shows he is an immigrant in Canada and the number of years he has been living there so that his experience outside Iraq is in no doubt. Oral history is a real story that requires tangible evidence to show somebodys past to make it believable, Grele(353-359). The portrait will also have him with the Muslim cap on, to show how staunch he is to his religion despite relocating to from Iraq. Documenting oral history is most effective when done on a biographical approach because the information is obtained from a source with first-hand information out of personal experience. Getting information from individuals who went through a situation helps in attaching feelings that no other person could connect like in the case of the interview with Mustafa who is the case study. The course on oral history has led to the understanding that memories have value in themselves even if they are distorted or mistaken because they instill hope in outcomes of events and share personal experiences through emotions and feelings that are attached to information Yow, (156-158). Copyright and data protection legislation provides guidelines for accurate gathering and archiving of oral history information for future use by scholars and researchers. Since oral history is for the interest of the future, memorizing the past and telling it out as personal experience is necessary for social contributi on, Lopez-Menendez (87-91). Through oral history, a perspective of the past is outlined to provide the basis for making decisions in the present and the future. References Abrams, Lynn. "Oral History Theory."London. Routledge, 2010, Grele, R. J. "Oral History Theory."Oral History Review, vol 38, no. 2, 2011, pp. 354-359.Oxford University Press (OUP), doi:10.1093/ohr/ohr059. Layman, L. "Reticence In Oral History Interviews."Oral History Review, vol 36, no. 2, 2009, pp. 207-230.Oxford University Press (OUP), doi:10.1093/ohr/ohp076. Levine, Irene S. 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