Fieldwork

The essay reflects on decades of linguistic fieldwork across Yemen and Oman, examining how fieldwork practices, technology, and socio-cultural contexts have evolved. Initial fieldwork in Yemen during the 1980s, focusing on rural Arabic dialects, was marked by limited technology, personal resilience, and deep immersion in remote, culturally rich areas. Over the years, advances in recording equipment, the rise of digital platforms, and shifts in fieldwork ethics transformed the approach to data collection. Modern fieldwork, such as documentation of Modern South Arabian languages like Mehri and Shehret, incorporates collaborative methods, metadata creation, and systematic archiving to preserve endangered languages. Despite the convenience of new tools, the essay acknowledges the loss of cultural depth as urbanisation and technology alter traditional ways of life. The narrative underscores the enduring value of human connection, trust, and shared experience in linguistic fieldwork.