Theos-Talk Archives (January 2002 Message tt00104)

Having surfed a bit, I can now offer a link and a bit more 
explanation. The terms originated in linguistics but are now 
commonly used in anthropology. Pike and Harris respectively are the 
authors most associated with these terms in the two fields. A link 
explaining the terms further is:

http://www.msu.edu/~dwyer/EmicEtic.htm

The bottom line is insider/outsider. Which equates to 
subjective/objective, of course. Insiders say "You can't really 
understand x unless you're one of us, and approach it just as our 
group does." Outsiders say "You can't possibly understand x unless 
you look at from the standpoint of a detached observer rather than a 
committed participant."

It's irritating but not unusual to be told by insiders that "We know 
better than you because of our insider status." But it's far more 
irritating (and rarer, fortunately) to be told that "you are morally 
wrong, and an enemy, to approach this subject any other way than the 
way we insiders do." 

PJ