Emic, Etic, Dialogic, and Linguistic Perspectives on Ethnomodeling

Ethnomodeling is considered the association of ethnomathematics and mathematical modeling and enables us to perceive different realities in relation to the nature of mathematical knowledge. It also provides insights into the many diverse forms of mathematics. In this context, ethnomodeling is defined as the study of mathematical phenomena that adds cultural components to the mathematical modeling processes, which are supported by the ethnoscience research field. The development of this connection has been conducted through the development of three cultural components used in the conduction of ethnomodeling investigations: emic, etic, and dialogic approaches. Ethnomodeling aims to work against colonialism in order to value and respect the sociocultural diversity found in the mathematics and scientific traditions of distinct cultural groups. Ethnomodeling, as an ethnoscientific approach, studies the connections between mathematics and science in the direct relation with the social, economic, political, environmental, and cultural backgrounds. Since ethnomodeling seeks to promote the development of the understanding of differences through dialogue. We argue for the inclusion of ethnomodeling as a translation process for systems taken from the reality of the members of distinct cultural traditions. Ethnomodeling creates a firm foundation that allows for the integration of these three approaches in exploring mathematical knowledge developed by the members of distinct cultural groups. Thus, we argue that there is a significant dialogic interface between ethnomodeling and ethnoscience, which leads to important interdisciplinary reflections as a consequence of diverse and distinct ways of communicating, reading, and interpreting the world.