Literacy and feelings: The encoding of affect in Nukulaelae letters

Abstract

The primäry purpose of literacy production on Nukulaelae Atoll (Central Pacific) is to write letters. Nukulaelae letters are sent to relatives on neighboring atolls, and serve a variety offunctions: monitoring economic reciprocity; informing kin of family events; and admonishing younger people. Permeating every aspect of letters is a heavy emphasis on the overt expression of affect, of a nature notfound in any other arena of Nukulaelae social life. This paper describes the way in which affect is encoded in the text of these letters, and shows how the topics addressed in letters are emically defined äs affectively charged. A content and historical-ethnographic analysis of letter-writing on the atoll indicates that letters have been defined äs cathartic events from the very introduction of literacy. It is suggested that the metaphorical affiliation of letter-writing with parting is in large pari responsihle for letters having become qffect-display context. This case study challenged traditional views that Dritten communication is universally less affective than spoken communication.

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