Joint Speech has a simple definition that allows us to recognize concrete instances. It is present whenever multiple people utter the same sounds at the same time. That’s it. Equipped with that, we can find countless exemplars to observe and consider. This simple definition orients us. It does not tell us what to look for.
Canonical examples are prayer and ritual utterances, the vocal demands of protesters, the enthusiastic chants of sports fans, and the instillation of sacred values in primary education. Joint speech can be found in every society, in innumerable variations, and apparently serving very diverse purposes. It is our contention that attending to the contexts in which joint speech arises opens a valuable door to processes of assembly and communion at the heart of collective living.
This small website is a workspace for explorations in joint speech. The themes that arise are of potential value in many areas of inquiry. We value joint development of these ideas.
The primary overseers of this project are Luciana Longo and Fred Cummins. Any questions should be addressed to fred.cummins@ucd.ie.
Becoming through voice: Joint Speech explorations 