Unpacking Meaning, Assumptions, and Priorities (UMAP) in Discourses of Homelessness
Language frames the way people view issues such as homelessness. Meaning is co-constructed through language. However, what words mean can vary from speaker to speaker and across groups. Thus, people sometimes think they are agreeing when actually they are disagreeing and vice-versa. This project, in partnership with Street Roots, employs applied linguistics research methods to uncover people’s frames and articulate what they really mean when they talk about homelessness. Results from the project can be used to inform the creation of educational or messaging materials, and to empower marginalized stakeholders in articulating and inserting their concerns into mainstream discourse.