This volume begins unconventionally by listing, on the basis of major dictionaries, a number of lexemes containing the stem 'distin' in German, French and English. Whereas the first two languages muster nine entries, the number in English is 24, admittedly including such rarities as 'distinctial' and 'distincture', a sign perhaps of the way Britain especially is obsessed with making distinctions, particularly when it is a matter of social status. This tri-lingual approach continues with quotations from Bourdieu being given in all three languages. Spitz admits baulking at the prospect of translating texts only available in French. However, this means that a reasonable knowledge of three languages is needed to read his work. Another point is worthy of note. The book is part of the series 'Literaturwissenschaft'. However, the major part is devoted to Bourdieu's work, whereas the six case studies, using it as a basis for examining specific plays, films and prose texts, take up only about 30 pages. It might therefore be more appropriate to speak of 'interdisciplinary studies'.
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