The following questions are currently being asked by my team of interviewers. The original idea was simply a way to get a good sample of native speakers speaking to each other in Punjabi and Pushto. The questions for the Pushto speakers are roughly the same except I have added a question about how long they have been resident in Bhalot and why they came to Bhalot (since none of the adult Pathans were born here). The first interview results came back and I discovered that my interviewer had carried out the interviews in Urdu. Not a serious problem as it is interesting to have samples of Punjabi speakers speaking in Urdu as well-- but I told him from now on all in his mother tongue. Also the last question proved a little confusing so we went over that as well. What I'm after there is a story-- a chance for the interviewee to tell me something that happened to them. I am now a little sceptical whether I will get anything of use from that question as it seems to confuse everyone but me. With the remaining few months I have I will add some questions so my interviewers don't get bored and as I see an area I would like more information on. I have found the collaberative aspect of this exercise to be appealing-- though admittedly I am the team leader and I direct what is done, I am not present during most of the interviews so I can not direct while people are interviewing. I can only listen afterwards and request changes for the future. It's given me a chance to know my anthro team much better than I would have just sitting around the dhera or watching cricket together.
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