For Ed Cray, and others,
I posted some ideas about the social anthropological approach to reversals
and ambiguities some weeks ago, following some debate about 'Molly Malone' -
well, that's how is started anyway.
I said at the time that I would look up some references, but warned that in
this area I am rather out of date anthropologically (this area is
interesting but it does not form part of my PhD and my undergrad days were a
long time ago).
Anyway, if you are interested, I recommend that you read the following:
Leach, Edmund (1963) 'Anthropological Aspects of Language: Animal Categories
and Verbal Abuse' in Pierre Maranda (ed) 'Mythology', Harmondsworth: Penguin
Books Ltd.
Douglas, Mary (1970) 'Purity and Danger', Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd
(a whole book, but a classic and quite readable).
Levi-Strauss, Claude (1972) 'Structural Anthropology', Harmondsworth:
Penguin Books Ltd. A huge read, and linguistically rather complex in places
- so I suggest you limit it to the chapter 'The structural study of myth'
(pages 206 to 231).
Happy reading!
Charles.
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